Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden - Comparing Environmental Policies in 16 Countries - page 53

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Germany, the Netherlands,
Denmark, an d Sweden
A few European countries have been leaders in the environmental move-
ment. Their citizens have agitated for laws and programs, their parliaments
have enacted legislation, and their diplomats have promoted treaties and
cooperation. Germany, because of its big population and economic power,
has been the most influential. The Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden
have often set an example. Sweden, for instance, proposed and sponsored
the 1972 Earth Summit at Stockholm.
Germany: The forest has long been a symbol of this nation, dating back
to prehistoric times. The Roman historian Tacitus wrote of the German
tribes' attachment to their forest. It offered refuge from the Roman invader,
and was a source of food and clothing. In pagan days, it was the home of
spirits and gods. Rivers also held mythic significance. Along Father Rhine,
the Lorelei maidens sang to tempt sailors to their deaths. In 1824 Heinrich
Heine wrote the folk story in a poem, later set to music.
The air is cool under nightfall.
The calm Rhine courses its way.
The peak of the mountain is sparkling
With evening's final ray. 1
Compared to France, England, and the Low Countries, 18th-century
Germany was less developed in terms of its government and economy.
The empire was not established until 1871. Industrialization, and there-
fore pollution, lagged behind. Germany was not at the heart of scientific