Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie, as president of the Global Executive Committee of Local Governments for Sustainability and a trustee with the U.S. Conference of Mayors, will attend the 27th United National Climate Change conference that begins next week in Sham El Sheikh, Egypt. More than 90 heads of state and representatives of 190 countries are expected to attend the conference. “As leaders, we are mobilizing efforts to decarbonize our energy, electrify buildings and transportation, prevent flooding and other hazards, protect our water, and increase food security,” Cownie said in a prepared statement. “This conference is an opportunity to share the progress we are making at home, present our lessons learned, and demand that national and world leaders rise with us to address the climate emergency.”