Climate change in Germany
The Rhineland is historically a heavily industrial and population-dense area which includes the states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland Palatinate, and Saarland. This region is rich in iron and coal deposits and supports one of Europe's largest coal industries. In the past, sulfuric acid emissions from Rhineland coal plants contributed to acid rain, damaging forests in other regions like Hesse, Thuringia, and Saxony.
Rhinau
The village of Rhinau is situated on the Rhine about 30 kilometers sound of Strasbourg. It is a notable city in that it has 997 hectares of territory on the right bank of the Rhine, in Germany. These 997 hectares are thus managed under German sovereignty, but, "de facto" run by the commune of Rhinau. This is due to a meander of the Rhine in 1541, and was made note of in the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 as the Thirty Years Wars was brought to a close.