THE EVOLUTION OF AGRICULTURE IN ROMANIA AFTER INTEGRATION IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

This paper presents the development of agriculture in the period 2007-2014, after integration into the European Union. Accession to the European Union marked a new era in the agricultural economy and rural development Romania effectively represents perhaps the strongest factor for pressure rapid reform Romanian agriculture and rural economy. Nationally, agriculture is one of the most important branches of the Romanian economy

Assessing the Vulnerability to Climate Change in the Romanian Part of the Tisza River Basin

Clime change represents a current and important issue; in addition to the disputed global warming, at local or regional levels, floods could also be a consequence of this phenomenon. If the potential effects are assessed in terms of exposure, sensitivity, and vulnerability, a GIS methodology, based on statistical indicators and GIS modelling was used to assess the overall vulnerability of the Tisza river basin and define the flood-prone area. Even though specific indicators exhibited high values in some NUTS III units, the overall vulnerability of the regions appears to be low

Materiale ecologice pentru construcţiile din Delta Dunării

The diversity of environmentally friendly materials can provide for a specific architecture, traditional to the Danube Delta and complying with the regulations to be instituted in the area. The specific architecture could ensure the traditional continuity without influencing the characteristic ecosystems, if sustainable and environmentally friendly materials are used. Uncontrolled interventions and use of different materials alter the built heritage, leading to a visual and aesthetic aggression against the area, and could impact entire ecosystems. The recent aggressiveness of constructions, especially related to tourism, is an issue affecting some areas by non-compliance with the documents that made the area to become a reserve of the biosphere. In order to preserve the ecosystems, materials should be carefully chosen. This paper compares the old and new in the Danube Delta, presenting representative architectural works and others that do not integrate in the architectural landscape

Valorificarea rezultatelor cercetării în urbanism, arhitectură şi construcţii din cadrul Institutului Naţional de Cercetare- Dezvoltare în Construcţii, Urbanism şi Dezvoltare Teritorială

No abstract available. The article is an editorial

Editors’ note on the special issue dedicated to the Danube and Black Sea area

No abstract available. The article is an Editorial

Danube area spatial integration by stimulating the Romanian port cities regeneration

Romania is crossed through by the Danube, the main European river course, the Romanian port cities being an important item of the European river network. Ports as Galati, Tulcea, Giurgiu are part of the Pan-European Corridor IV, assuring the Eastern link for the merchandises entering Europe through some of the main ports as Rotterdam, Wien, Mainz or Strasbourg. Their strategic location is offering the Romanian ports the opportunity of becoming the main gate for the water traffic between Asia and Occident. The paper is developing the concept of urban regeneration of the port cities and their spatial integration within the Danube influence area. The objective is to propose an analyze frame for the port – city system, to identify the possible strategies and actions for promoting the local development and port – cities regeneration supporting. The paper process has the following approaches: the assessment of the economic development, tourist opportunities, culture and nature resources as a support for tourism development and strengthening into the port cities. Population relationships, opportunities within the crossing border area these port cities are having in view are analyzed. The intended purpose of the paper is to highlight the functional particularities of port cities and to elaborate a scenario of planning approach to their study implications promoted regeneration of socio-economic and ecological assessments

REALITIES AND PROSPECTS OF LENDING ACTIVITY IN ROMANIA

In this paper are presented the actions of Romanian banks in granting loans to both individuals and legal entities, taking into account credit conditions imposed by the Central Bank, by reducing the key of the interest rate to 3.75%. The actions carried to cheapening credit continued reduction in reserve ratios on deposits in RON and in foreign currency

Resilience: ecological and socio-spatial models evolve while understanding the equilibrium

The paper attempts to review the main models used in systems ecology, and applied to urban and territorial development, in tight connection with the developing understanding of equilibrium and stability. Initially, resilience was perceived as a component of stability (along with resistance, persistence, and variability), and later as a self-standing concept. As the understanding of equilibrium moves from homeostasis to homeoerhesis and practically to the carrying capacity, and stability finds different interpretations, ranging from constancy to dynamic equilibrium, the dynamics of ecological systems is modeled using adaptive instead of succession cycles. The new model is currently applied to other sciences, and also adapted to the man-dominated systems, including the urban ones. In this case, the understanding of resilience is even more divided among specialists, with particular interpretations resulting from partial or sectoral viewpoints. The analysis shows that more research is not a promising solution, but conceptual refinement is required instead

Planning, architecture, seismic, construction and energy-related criteria for sustainable spatial development in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve area

The Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve represents a complex of ecosystems embedding a biome that had been included on UNESCO World Heritage list due to its global environmental importance. The outstanding natural diversity, including ecosystems, habitats and species situated at the top of European and International conservation lists, is mixed with an equally rich and important cultural (ethnic and religious) diversity of the human communities inhabiting the area. According to the guidelines of the Man and the Biosphere Programme of UNESCO, the biosphere reserves including human settlements should be managed such that they could constitute an example for what sustainable development means. Starting from the spatial dimension added to the traditional socioeconomic, ecological and cultural pillars of sustainable development, the paper examines planning, architecture, seismic, construction and energy-related criteria that could substantiate a sustainable development model applicable to the Danube Delta, and counter the effects of clime change in the area. The results suggest that the traditional practices of the inhabitants could offer sustainable solutions and help preserving the natural and cultural diversity of the region

Improving Indoor Air Quality by Using Sheep Wool Thermal Insulation

Currently, the need to ensure adequate quality of air inside the living space but also the thermal efficiency of buildings is pressing. This paper presents the capacity of sheep wool heat-insulating mattresses to simultaneously provide these needs, cumulatively analyzing efficiency indicators for thermal insulation and indicators of improving air quality. Thus, the values obtained for the coefficient of thermal conductivity, and its resistance to heat transfer, demonstrate the suitability of their use for thermal insulation. The results of the permeability to water vapor characteristics on the sorption/desorption of water, air, demonstrate the ability to control the humidity of the indoor air and the results on the reduction of the concentration of formaldehyde, demonstrating their contribution to the growth of the quality of the air, and to reduce the risk of disease in the population