The US has announced it is investing $8.5 million (£5.8m) in research to protect air quality from climate change.
A total of 12 universities will be provided with a share of the fund from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Researchers will investigate the impacts of climate change on air quality.
They include health impacts from smoke due to a rise in wildfires, atmospheric changes in air pollution chemistry and increased levels of dust from particle pollution.
They will also examine drought and land-use changes in western US that may impact dust storms incidents and the effects to air quality from increased nitrogen-based fertiliser use.
Some of the universities that have been granted funding are Harvard University, the University of California, Columbia University and the University of Colorado.
Thomas A. Burke, EPA Science Advisor and Deputy Assistant Administrator of the Office of Research and Development said: “The research funded by these grants will improve our understanding of how climate change is impacting our air and our health. By examining the relationship between air quality and climate change this research will help better protect human health and the environment.”
A report launched earlier this week said climate change would put “trillions of dollars” of the world’s financial assets at risk.