IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i24p14068-d706795.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Long-Term Urbanization Dynamics and the Evolution of Green/Blue Areas in Eastern Europe: Insights from Romania

Author

Listed:
  • Rares Halbac-Cotoara-Zamfir

    (Department of Overland Communication Ways, Foundations and Cadastral Survey, Politehnica University of Timișoara, I. Curea 2A, 300224 Timișoara, Romania)

  • Carla Sofia Santos Ferreira

    (Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University and Bolin Centre for Climate Research, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
    Navarino Environmental Observatory, Costa Navarino, Navarino Dunes, 24001 Messinia, Greece)

  • Luca Salvati

    (Department of Economics and Law, University of Macerata, Via Armaroli 43, I-62100 Macerata, Italy)

Abstract

Urbanization is a dynamic process performed at the expense of natural and/or semi-natural areas, with direct impacts on the ecosystem services provided to human society. The increasing population density in urban areas and the associated demand for housing and public services have led to progressive changes in the structure, architecture, and design of urban areas. The present study analyzes long-term urban development in Western Romania, focusing on green/blue areas’ strategies in Timisoara over centuries. The empirical results of a literature review carried out with a historical perspective have delineated the time periods that favored “urban green development” (1716–1918 and 1918–1940) and those restricting their development (1940–2000), as well as the factors that influenced long-term urbanization dynamics and the evolution of green/blue areas. These factors can be generalized to other socioeconomic contexts in Eastern Europe. Characteristic issues of this geographical area impacting the evolution of urban green/blue areas include (i) common historical aspects (e.g., the influence of geo-political and strategic dimensions, the dominations of former great empires such as the Turkish empire and the communist period) and (ii) population migration after 1990.

Suggested Citation

  • Rares Halbac-Cotoara-Zamfir & Carla Sofia Santos Ferreira & Luca Salvati, 2021. "Long-Term Urbanization Dynamics and the Evolution of Green/Blue Areas in Eastern Europe: Insights from Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-19, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:24:p:14068-:d:706795
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/24/14068/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/24/14068/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Eeva-Sofia Säynäjoki & Jukka Heinonen & Seppo Junnila, 2014. "The Power of Urban Planning on Environmental Sustainability: A Focus Group Study in Finland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(10), pages 1-22, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Vermunt, D.A. & Wojtynia, N. & Hekkert, M.P. & Van Dijk, J. & Verburg, R. & Verweij, P.A. & Wassen, M. & Runhaar, H., 2022. "Five mechanisms blocking the transition towards ‘nature-inclusive’ agriculture: A systemic analysis of Dutch dairy farming," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    2. Steffen Lehmann, 2015. "A New Urban Agenda: Introduction to the Special Issue on “Sustainable Urban Development”," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(8), pages 1-7, July.
    3. Petio, Maxwell Kwotua, 2023. "Reflections on urbanisation, land supply and the Ghanaian physical planning system towards sustaining cemetery land use in Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    4. Ibán Vázquez-González & María do Mar Pérez-Fra & Ana Isabel García-Arias & Bernardo Valdês-Paços & Edelmiro López-Iglesias, 2021. "Rendered Agroecosystem Services and Dysservices of Dairy Farming: A Bottom-Up Approach in Galicia (Spain)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-20, July.
    5. Lucian-Ionel Cioca & Larisa Ivascu & Attila Turi & Alin Artene & George Artur Găman, 2019. "Sustainable Development Model for the Automotive Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-22, November.
    6. Giulia Capotorti & Barbara Mollo & Laura Zavattero & Ilaria Anzellotti & Laura Celesti-Grapow, 2015. "Setting Priorities for Urban Forest Planning. A Comprehensive Response to Ecological and Social Needs for the Metropolitan Area of Rome (Italy)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-19, April.
    7. Bowditch, Euan & Santopuoli, Giovanni & Binder, Franz & del Río, Miren & La Porta, Nicola & Kluvankova, Tatiana & Lesinski, Jerzy & Motta, Renzo & Pach, Maciej & Panzacchi, Pietro & Pretzsch, Hans & T, 2020. "What is Climate-Smart Forestry? A definition from a multinational collaborative process focused on mountain regions of Europe," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    8. Ye-Shuang Xu & Shui-Long Shen & Dong-Jie Ren & Huai-Na Wu, 2016. "Analysis of Factors in Land Subsidence in Shanghai: A View Based on a Strategic Environmental Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(6), pages 1-12, June.
    9. Jukka Heinonen & Jani Laine & Karoliina Pluuman & Eeva-Sofia Säynäjoki & Risto Soukka & Seppo Junnila, 2015. "Planning for a Low Carbon Future? Comparing Heat Pumps and Cogeneration as the Energy System Options for a New Residential Area," Energies, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-18, August.
    10. Zinette Bergman & Manfred Max Bergman, 2022. "Toward Sustainable Communities: A Case Study of the Eastern Market in Detroit," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-14, April.
    11. Beata Stahre Wästberg & Monica Billger & Marco Adelfio, 2020. "A User-Based Look at Visualization Tools for Environmental Data and Suggestions for Improvement—An Inventory among City Planners in Gothenburg," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-20, April.
    12. Mousavinia, Seyyedeh Fatemeh, 2022. "How residential density relates to social interactions? Similarities and differences of moderated mediation models in gated and non-gated communities," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    13. Eeva-Sofia Säynäjoki & Pia Korba & Elina Kalliala & Aino-Kaisa Nuotio, 2018. "GHG Emissions Reduction through Urban Planners’ Improved Control over Earthworks: A Case Study in Finland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-14, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:24:p:14068-:d:706795. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.