In terms of industrial development, the highest priority for the economic lead of the GDR's regime was to the fulfillment of annual economic plans. Establishing records of production at almost any cost was seen as a guarantee for the regime to stay in power . The environmental effects of this strategy became obvious at the end of the GDR. It had been leading the ranks of countries polluting the air with SO2 and dust emissions for several years, supplemented with high emissions of nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons. Most of these remained inside of the territory and were deposited back to terrestrial and aquatic surfaces in the vicinity of the sources, of which the energy producing sector was the main emitter due to outdated machinery. The most affected districts were in the center or south of the GDR, where most of the industry was situated. A significant proportion was exported to neighboring countries downwind . Apart from detrimental effects on the health of the population (e.g. respiratory diseases) effects on the environment were enormous.