SHARM EL SHEIKH, EGYPT — City governments across the United States around the world are being brought on to the climate-change and sustainability bandwagon with major help from international organizations, explained Des Moines Mayor and ICLEI President Frank Cownie in this interview with The New American magazine’s Alex Newman from the United Nations COP27 climate conference.

Cownie said these are not political issues, and that “science” demands that governments — even in Republican areas — get in line. Citing the Covid crisis as an example, Cownie suggested those who resist do so for selfish reasons. Asked about Republican-controlled local governments dropping out of ICLEI en masse and in some cases, as in Alabama, even making it illegal for governments and agencies to participate, he said the “science is very clear” and that everybody needs these sorts of policies as they need food or clean water.   

See all of TNA’s COP27 coverage.

DISCLAIMER: Views and opinions expressed in this interview are solely those of the interviewee and do not necessarily represent those of The New American. TNA is not responsible for, and does not verify the accuracy of any information presented.