Ecology and environment, Germany

Germany is first of all an industrial nation. So the overall emissions are high.

Germans have become very sensitive with regard to the environment, maybe the Germans are the most environmental sensitive nation in the world. Also for global warming Germans are in the forefront of all initiatives, and currently in 2009 their emission level of carbon dioxyde is 23% lower than 1990 (which exceeds the Kyoto protocol obligations). The per head emissions are with 12 to per year quite high, still compared to the USA or Australia low.

The green party is strong and also the wind and solar energy have become big industries over the last decade. Germany is worldwide the biggest producer of wind turbines and solar power machinery.

Nature is protected through many laws - and you will find beautiful national parks and clean swimming lakes. In the last years the local quality of air and water have improved so much, that you can practically swim in every river, even the big ones like the Rhine. The acid rain problem from the 80ies is gone down, simply the Baltic sea pollution (where Germany is only one nation of many) remains at a high level.

So in general: Feel save in Germany to drink water, swim in lakes or rivers and breathing the air.