Thomas Münzels quote: “Every day without effective measures to ensure healthy breathing air has massive consequences for people in Europe. As a doctor with a background in cardiology, I know the loss in quality of life and life expectancy caused by high levels of air pollution. I call on the Federal Government to live up to its responsibility for protecting general health and to take a clear stance on stricter air quality standards in Europe and Germany. Only by implementing the WHO recommendations for particulate matter of 5 µg/m3 on an annual average can we prevent 253,000 premature deaths in the European Union every year.”