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Climate Action in London:  Breathe London Enters New Phase with £2.8M Joint Investment (Air Quality News)

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The £2.8M joint investment, announced by Mike Bloomberg and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan at London Climate Action Week, enables Londoners to view real-time, hyperlocal air quality data in their area and take action to tackle air pollution.

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The pioneering air quality program has made real-time air pollution data publicly available online, providing vital insights into London’s environmental health. It also helped inspire Breathe Cities, a global clean air initiative launched during London Climate Action Week 2023 in collaboration with C40 Cities, Clean Air Fund, and Bloomberg Philanthropies.

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In the program’s first phase, 60 community groups across 24 boroughs received low-cost air quality sensors, creating a grassroots network of residents monitoring pollution levels and advocating for cleaner air in their local areas. These sensors have empowered Londoners to advocate for healthier, greener communities.

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This next phase of Breathe London will build on this success, with a new program of public engagement including working groups for schools, hospitals, community groups, and local authorities, annual webinars, and on-site training sessions. The revamped Breathe London website now provides real-time, hyperlocal air quality data along with information and resources for communities and key organizations to raise awareness of the dangers of air pollution and take action.

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“Tackling the capital’s toxic air has been one of my top priorities since I took office, and it’s fantastic to gather with global Mayors in the capital during London Climate Action Week and celebrate our achievements in accelerating global climate action," Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London and Co-Chair of C40 Cities, said.

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“Under Sadiq Khan’s leadership, London has become a model for how local governments can use technology and data to drive progress cleaning the air," Mike Bloomberg said.

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"This expansion of Breathe London will give Londoners access to more real-time air quality data, empowering them with critical public health information and helping leaders create policies that will save lives in London and set an example for cities around the world," Mike said.

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Here are some photos from yesterday's climate leadership convening at Bloomberg's European Headquarters in London. The day featured announcements of new investments and expanded partnerships, including Bloomberg Philanthropies' work with The Earthshot Prize, the Breathe London program highlighted above, and the COP30 Local Leaders Forum that will take place in Rio De Janeiro this November.

NYC Election Results.

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'Zolcano': Zohran Mamdani Stuns Andrew Cuomo in New York Mayoral Primary (Politico)

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New York delivered a true political earthquake last night as Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old state assembly member and democratic socialist, stormed to victory in the city’s Democratic mayoral primary. He should be confirmed as the Dem nominee next week, once ranked-choice votes have been counted.

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Every political chat group and social media feed across America was lit last night, and with good reason — this is a result sending shockwaves through the Democratic establishment and far beyond. It marks a stunning victory for the left flank of a fractured party still searching for direction after last November’s presidential defeat, boosting the voices demanding a more radical policy platform to take on Donald Trump’s GOP.

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But for plenty of observers, this wasn’t about identity. Mamdani has promised free buses, free child care, city-run grocery stores, rent freezes, wealth taxes and more. And whatever you think of those kinds of pledges, there’s a running theme that plenty of Dems believe was the real lesson from last night: Mamdani won by focusing relentlessly on the cost of living — the issue poll after poll shows voters care about most.

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If Mamdani is elected mayor of New York, he will become a flagbearer for the Democratic left — especially as New York is the media capital of the nation and its local politics get broadcast coast to coast. But he will also become the perfect boogeyman for a Republican Party desperate to paint its opponents as radical nutjobs. His social media back catalog is already being shared far and wide. The MAGA far right is already attacking his faith. And if you thought Trump vs. Gavin Newsom in Los Angeles was quite a spectacle, just imagine Trump vs. this guy in New York City next year. It certainly won’t be dull.

What's Next: With Eye on November 4, NYC’s Mayoral Election Could Turn Into 5-Way Race (Gothamist)

What I'm Reading.

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Don't Miss Today's Daily Read Podcast: Click here to listen to the latest episode of the AI-generated companion of today's newsletter on Spotify. It's also available on Apple Podcasts.  Take a listen today.

'Dangerous Heat': Temperature in New York City Reaches 100 Degrees Tuesday as Eastern US Swelters Under Extreme Heat Wave (Associated Press)

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New York City’s John F. Kennedy Airport hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) a little after noon, the first time since 2013. Then Baltimore, Philadelphia and Boston joined the 100 club. More than 150 million people woke up to heat warnings and forecasters at the National Weather Service expected dozens of places to tie or set new daily high temperature records Tuesday. The dangerous heat sent people to the hospital, delayed Amtrak trains and caused utilities to urge customers to conserve power.

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Extreme Heat Alert: US Declares Power Emergency in Southeast on Heat Wave (Bloomberg)

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US power grids are stressed as the country is under a “dangerous heat wave” this week, stretching from the Midwest to the East Coast, with much of North Carolina and other eastern states under an extreme heat warning, according to the National Weather Service.

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On Monday, there were blackouts in parts of New York City as the local utility issued a warning to conserve electricity. Power use Tuesday on PJM Interconnection’s 13-state system is expected to test a 14-year high.

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Climate Change is Here: This Heat Wave Is Just a Taste of What’s to Come (Bloomberg Opinion - Mark Gongloff)

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NATO Summit: Trump Sparks Fear Over NATO Future With Doubts on Defense Pledge (Bloomberg)

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As Trump departed for the meeting in The Hague, Secretary General Mark Rutte sent the US president a fawning private message, lauding him for his achievements in halting the conflict between Israel and Iran and for securing an unprecedented increase in European defense spending. Trump screen grabbed the message and posted it on social media.

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“You will achieve something NO American president in decades could get done,” Rutte said in the message, which was confirmed by NATO’s press office. “Europe is going to pay in a BIG way, as they should, and it will be your win.”

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The Hague Summit Latest: NATO Leaders Endorse Historic Plan to Boost Defense Spending (Bloomberg)

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Boosting Commitment: Mark Carney Says Canada Can Hit New $110 Billion NATO Bill With Mines (Bloomberg)

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US Strikes Had Limited Effect: Strike Set Back Iran’s Nuclear Program by Only a Few Months, U.S. Report Says (New York Times)

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The findings suggest that Trump’s statement that Iran’s nuclear facilities were obliterated was overstated, at least based on the initial damage assessment. Congress had been set to be briefed on the strike on Tuesday, and lawmakers were expected to ask about the findings of the assessment, but the session was postponed. Senators are now set be briefed on Thursday.

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The report also said much of Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium was moved before the strikes, which destroyed little of the nuclear material. Some of that may have been moved to secret nuclear sites maintained by Iran.

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Middle East Reprieve: Deeply Scarred Middle East Grasps for Calm After 12 Days of War (Bloomberg)

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For decades, the idea of a US-Iran conflict raised the specter of World War III. Now Israel has attacked, the US has joined in and the Islamic Republic just aimed its retaliation at the biggest American military base in the Middle East.

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On Tuesday morning, consultants in the Qatari capital and financiers in Dubai went to work as normal. Oil fell back to where it was when Israel first struck Iran on June 13; the S&P 500 ended the day higher than it began.

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Critics Call Conflict: Trump-Inspired ‘Israel Edition’ Coin Pushed During Iran Conflict (Bloomberg)

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Talk of Markets: Bond Traders May Have Found the Next Greece (Bloomberg Opinion - Matt Winkler)

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That would be Zambia, the Sub-Saharan African nation of 20 million people that defaulted in 2020. The “air-conditioned state,” so-called because of its elevation and climate, is poised to watch its economy expand at least 6% in 2025.

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Making Cities Work: Looking for Local Government Efficiency? Harness the Data. (Governing - Tampa Mayor Jane Castor)

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Serpentine Summer Party: Mike Bloomberg and Cate Blanchett Host Cultural Event of the Summer (Serpentine Galleries)

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The art world converged in London at 'A Capsule in Time', the 2025 Serpentine Pavilion designed by architect Marina Tabassum, for the Serpentine's annual fundraiser last night.

Influenced by Bangladeshi culture and drawing upon the history and architectural language of Shamiyana tents, Tabassum's pavilion has a series of full-height openings that draw light and air within and make this a perfect space to celebrate summer.

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'A Capsule in Time' will be available to view until October 26. Entry is free. And be sure to download the Bloomberg Connects app, the exclusive arts and culture guide for the Serpentine and more than 900 other institutions. 

In Photos: Cate Blanchett and Georgia May Jagger Lead the Best Dressed Guests at the Serpentine Summer Party (Telegraph UK)

Best of Late Night.

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On Donald Trump's unilateral decision to strike Iran:

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“Remember when we were scared he was going to invade Canada?” I miss that.”

— Jimmy Fallon

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“The U.S. on Saturday launched strikes against three Iranian nuclear sites in a surprise attack. Well, ‘surprise’ to everyone who’s not on Pete Hegseth’s text chain.”

— Seth Meyers

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“Yep, the strike came as a total surprise. Apparently, Trump had all the planes fly out of the abandoned Newark airport.”

— Jimmy Fallon

On the historic heatwave hitting a wide swath of the United States:

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“It's not wearing a suit that makes me feel sticky. It's the two layers of Spanx underneath it.”

— Jimmy Fallon