This thesis is about tranformation of Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region which is located in german federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. In the past it was an agricultural area which didn't have a significant populaction. It was later when coal was found in region's underground, the production of which started to replace agriculture as the main economic activity and things started to change. The result of those events was development of iron, coal and chemical industries. The growing number of plants required a work force, and resulted in the immigration of workers from different areas of Germany and Europe. The population of the region started to increase because of this immigration. All of those events impacted local industry which started to develop rapidly and the environment became negatively affected. By emitting many harmful gasses (air pollutants) into the atmosphere it became polluted. Both floating particles from the industry and wastewater started to pollute rivers and soil. Because of the increasing pollution, agriculture became endangered. The large amounts of wastewater from the local heavy industry had to be released. As a result, some rivers were also turned into drainage channels for them. An example of a river Emscher is singled out which was turned into a drainage channel endangering the surrounding environment and the local population. After 1960s economic activity started to decline which brought problems. Because of that many factories had to be closed. The time for change had come. Authorities tried in different ways to reorganise businesses and transform the region into a modern industrial center. By using large investments and new ideas, many things changed. Pollution was reduced and river Emscher is now in a better condition than it was in the past. Old industrial plants became something new. New purposes were found for the old industrial plants such as industrail tourism.