Bloomberg Philanthropies has pledged $45 million (£33 million) to expand a global initiative helping cities tackle air pollution, following early successes that have already delivered measurable improvements in urban air quality.

A new study examining the aftermath of California’s Eaton and Palisades wildfires has found significant variations in potentially harmful contaminants left behind in residential soils and ash, highlighting the risks posed by urban wildfires and the benefits of large-scale clean-up efforts.

As thousands of soccer descend on cities across North America this summer, transportation networks are expected to face a familiar challenge: handling large crowds without bringing urban mobility to a standstill.

The government has announced a major package to strengthen England’s resilience against wildfires, including the deployment of specialist firefighter teams and a £97 million investment in new equipment ahead of the summer months.

Scientists have unveiled a powerful new way to detect and measure formaldehyde in the atmosphere, a breakthrough that could improve air pollution monitoring and help researchers better understand the chemistry behind smog, ozone formation and wildfire emissions.

London has set an ambition to replace 17% of van miles with cargo bikes by 2030. That would require roughly 12,000 cargo bikes moving goods across the capital’s streets. Today, there are fewer than 1,000.