Dubai, a city synonymous with opulence, ambition, and grandeur, played host to the crucial COP28 summit. As I walked through the Expo Center, memories of a bygone era in 2005 flooded my mind. I remember the moments of excitement and anticipation that randomly happened during my busy work days leading up to my first trip to Dubai that year to attend a film festival for work. The thought of the hotel—which had canals for roadways, and gondolas that drifted you from your villa to the world-class spas, or elegant shops and restaurants—elicited sighs.