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To halt land take in Europe, the European Union set a "no net land take by 2050″ target in 2011. However, land take continues to occur in European countries, with recent studies suggesting that local decision-making is playing a major role in these land-use conversions. In this study, we investigated how urban growth boundaries (UGBs) are used by local governments to manage urban growth in Romania. A mixed-method approach was adopted, combining analysis of UGB changes over the past decade in all Romanian cities (N = 319) with a survey among representatives of local governments involved in land-use decision-making (N = 91 cities). The results showed that many cities have expanded their UGBs, despite population loss and sufficient undeveloped land within UGBs, showing that local government decisions conflict with policy targets at the European level. This is even the case when there is no physical need for land-take limits to be exceeded. We show that population dynamics and the extent of nature conservation areas significantly contribute to UGB changes, though these explain just a small fraction of all UGB changes. Furthermore, we identified a wide range of motivations among decision-makers regarding changing UGBs, including not only the fiscal system but also cities' competitiveness and decisions about the long-term vision for development. We argue that policy innovations in urban containment should (i) aim to balance the interests of governments at different administrative levels, (ii) account for the particularities of each state member's planning system, and (iii) allow for integrated and strategic city planning. • Urban growth boundaries (UGBs) are continuing to expand despite population loss and sufficient undeveloped land. • Local government decisions conflict with European policy targets relating to no land take. • Motivations for UGB expansion include cities' competitiveness and long-term vision for development. • The study provides a basis for understanding the role of land-use containment instruments in steering urban expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human–wildlife interactions (HWIs) are increasingly common human disturbances as development continues to remove wildlife habitats. Documenting HWI is critical for environmental protection agencies to develop strategies and management decisions that meet the needs of both people and wildlife. However, evaluation of the frequency and types of HWI at broad spatial scales (e.g., national or regional level) can be costly and difficult to implement by managers. In this study, we apply a novel method for the evaluation of patterns of HWI in urban areas by using publicly available data from emergency calls (ECs) placed by inhabitants of Romania's urban areas. We used information from 4601 ECs placed at the Romanian National Emergency Call System 112, which consisted of (1) wildlife species, (2) spatial location, (3) date and time, and (4) a short description of the emergency. Of the 318 analyzed cities, 300 cities documented ECs on HWI between 2015 and 2020, with roe deer and brown bear being the most frequently mentioned species. We recorded an increasing trend in HWI‐related ECs in 73% of the urban areas over the five‐year period. We mapped the large‐scale distribution of HWI by species and type of interactions in order to capture variations at the national level. Further, we analyzed the social and the biophysical factors potentially influencing the occurrence and frequency of HWI. The results showed that social factors have the same effect on all species, while the effect of the biophysical factors varied between species. Particularly, the presence of large natural habitats, represented by forests, influenced the number of calls only for brown bears. Seminatural landscapes with agricultural land have a different influence in terms of effect and significance for the considered species. Our results suggest that publicly available data from ECs can be used for the rapid assessment of HWI and for evaluating trends and predictors of HWI at broad spatial scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To assess the prevalence of the perceived safety of smoking a few (generally fewer than five per day) cigarettes during pregnancy and identify associated factors in a sample of pregnant smokers in Romania, a middle‐income country. Design and Setting: Cross‐sectional design with a convenience sample using a polled data set collected between 2016 and 2019 in the formative and baseline phases of the Quit Together randomized control trial (RCT) in Romania. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered by research assistants in clinics in the formative phase and self‐administered through the study website at the RCT baseline. Participants: A total of 217 pregnant smokers (mean age = 28.5 ± 5.8) enrolled in the formative and RCT phases of the research project. Measurements The main outcome was the perceived safety of smoking a few cigarettes during pregnancy (generally fewer than five per day). Covariates included the health‐care providers' advice towards smoking tobacco cigarettes during pregnancy, socio‐demographics, the presence of depression and anxiety symptoms and level of nicotine dependence. Findings More than 35% of participants agreed that smoking a few cigarettes during pregnancy was safe for them and their baby. The perceived safety of smoking a few cigarettes during pregnancy was significantly associated with being told by health‐care providers that it is acceptable to continue to smoke cigarettes in small amounts [odds ratio (OR) = 3.08; 95% CI = 1.35–6.99; P < 0.01], perceived harm reduction of smoking light cigarettes (OR = 2.67; 95% CI = 1.19–5.97; P = 0.02) and moderate to severe depression and anxiety score (OR = 0.34; 95% CI = 0.13–0.84; P = 0.02). Conclusions: More than one‐third of pregnant Romanian women appear to believe that smoking 'a few' cigarettes during pregnancy is safe for them and their fetuses. Those who are told by their health‐care providers that it is acceptable to smoke in small amounts during pregnancy have higher odds of perceiving smoking 'a few' cigarettes during pregnancy as safe compared with other pregnant Romanian women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban green infrastructure is considered to be a key element in improving quality of life and creating an appropriate framework for sustainable cities. The most used quantitative indicator to assess urban green infrastructure is urban green space (UGS) per capita. This papeŕs aim is to analyze whether UGS is a valuable target to achieve cities’ sustainability goals. We used Romania as a case study, which should meet the target of 26 m 2 of UGS per inhabitants in all cities. Aerial images were used to extract the surface of the UGS categories for a sample of 38 cities in Romania. We compared our data with three other databases (National Institute of Statistics, Environmental Protection Agencies and Urban Atlas) to check for differences. To understand the contribution of geographic and socio-economic factors to the dynamic of the UGS per capita in Romania’s cities, we used a multiple linear regression. To identify differences between cities in terms of their proportions of UGS, multiple correspondence analysis was performed. We found significant differences between the surface of UGS reported by the administrative offices and that resulting from the spatial analysis. The process of reporting UGS data currently has methodological and perspective shortcomings. Moreover, the density of the built-up space, the proximity to major transport infrastructure, the cities’ founding period and the geomorphology criteria are important predictors for the UGS. The target of 26 m 2 of green area per inhabitant in all Romanian cities is not feasible and it should consider the cities’ characteristics, if you want to achieve sustainability goals. Urban green planning should focus more on the development of urban green infrastructure models that are adapted to each type of urban area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Smoking during pregnancy is one of the most modifiable risk factor for poor birth outcomes. This study assesses the prevalence and correlates of smoking during pregnancy. Methods: A questionnaire was applied to pregnant women in two urban clinics in Romania to assess smoking prevalence, attitudes and knowledge about smoking, and other risks poorly documented in Romania, such as depressive symptoms, stress and social support. The response rate was >80% and the valid sample comprised of 916 women. Descriptive statistics and logistic regressions were used to estimate the prevalence of smoking and other risk factors and to identify correlates of smoking during pregnancy. Results: Approximately 15% of the women continued smoking during pregnancy, and 26% of all women said they smoked prior to pregnancy, but quit upon finding out they were pregnant. Depressive symptoms and stress were not associated with smoking during pregnancy. Women with no social support had higher odds of continued smoking vs. non-smoking (OR = 2.3, P < 0.01), and vs. quitting (OR = 2.3, P < 0.05). Roma women had 5.2 times the odds (P < 0.01) of continued smoking vs. non-smoking. Lack of awareness about the benefits of quitting smoking and about the risks of smoking light cigarettes were associated with continued smoking during pregnancy. Conclusions: Smoking was common in a sample of Romanian pregnant women. Smoking cessation programs in Romania should include components to raise the awareness about the risks of smoking during pregnancy and the benefits of quitting at any time during pregnancy. More targeted interventions are needed in Roma communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Society consumption models have changed significantly and are now oriented towards fulfilling stronger sustainability requirements and following the demand for better living standards. In this respect, companion animals are a common presence in households in large urban areas. The number of companion animals is increasing in Bucharest (38.7 animals per 100 households). This tendency has caused notable changes in urban parks. To evaluate the way urban parks had to be adapted to this tendency, 5240 questionnaires were addressed to the visitors of 28 parks in Bucharest. Out of the total respondents, 7.5% were frequenting the parks to walk their pet dogs. The differences between the dog walkers and the other visitor''s profiles were evaluated through compositional analysis. Two well-defined groups of visitors were observed when considering motivation, length and frequency of the visit. In most of Bucharest''s urban parks (87.5%) there are areas devoted specifically to dogs, but 37.5% of dog walkers considered these facilities in parks un-useable. Because the number of feral dogs is very high, 15.9% of the visitors considered dogs to be the main problem within parks. Under these conditions, the environmental quality in urban parks has decreased, and visitors have become discontented. In this context, investments in parks must support the need to protect urban park facilities and be directed towards improving the satisfaction level of visitors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Decades of economic development and urbanization have led to strong transformations of blue infrastructure, with significant quality degradation and conversions from natural land cover to other human shaped land uses. While critically threatened, blue infrastructure in urban areas is re-emerging as an important solution that contributes to human well-being through provisioning, regulating and cultural ecosystem services. Our study aims to assess the distribution and the availability of urban blue infrastructure in Romanian cities, considered as a first step in understanding the interactions among major urban infrastructures. We found a low availability of the blue infrastructure in Romanian cities, which could have been caused by significant transformations such as improvements against flooding and conversions to built-up land. Furthermore, we identify associations between cities' share of blue infrastructure and their socio-economic and geographic characteristics. We found that the surface of blue infrastructure is shaped by both morphological features and historical legacies. Our study therefore suggests how such results could be used to enhance the multi-functionality of blue infrastructure to provide social-ecological and economic benefits in densely urbanised areas. • Urban blue infrastructure has low availability in Romania. • Urban blue infrastructure is shaped by a city's morphological features. • The post-socialist period led to the extension of urban blue infrastructure. • Reliable data about urban blue infrastructure is critical for enhancing its multifunctionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Romania's national policy was influenced by communist legacy, EU accession and the global economic crisis. • Built-up development followed the increasing trend in the country's wealth, but was simultaneous with population decline. • Patterns of development were influenced by fiscal incentives and sectoral policies. Globally, built-up development is taking place at unprecedented rates. To mitigate and limit its effects, recent scientific and spatial planning communities call for built-up management to be addressed on broader scales, from regional to national, and coordinated with multiple policy domains. In this paper, we aimed to analyze the evolution and impact of Romania's national policies on built-up management during the entire period from the fall of the communist regime to the present. The new perspective offered by our study concerns the use of spatiotemporal built-up development assessment with policy analysis and visualization. Moreover, policies and built-up land changes are addressed in direct relationship with major political events and global economic influences. Our findings reveal that policies were influenced by the communist legacy, accession to the EU and the global economic crisis. Most effective were the policies adopted during the pre-EU accession period and after the economic crisis. The strongest impact on patterns of development came from policies in the domains of transportation, regional development, public administration and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Closed lakes located in urban parks act as sinks of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), which have been used, for decades, as insecticides, herbicides and fungicides. The closed lakes from Bucharest, Romania, are periodically managed to prevent eutrophication and accumulation of pollutants. However, it is not known if these practices reduce or enhance the legacy pollution with OCPs. The aim of this study was to explore the spatial variation of OCPs in closed lakes. The total concentration of OCPs in water and sediments ranged between 0.0176 and 37.1 µg/L, and between 122 to 1,890 ng/g, respectively. The concentrations of OCPs were compared with the consensus-based sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) in order to evaluate the ecological risks of sediments. The highest potential adverse effects were associated with γ-HCH exposure. Periodical draining and dredging of lakes lead to the resuspension of contaminants, increasing pesticide bioavailability and accumulation in sediments. In addition, we observed that fluorescent dissolved organic matter (DOM) might influence the OCPs cycle. The quantity and character of fluorescent DOM can provide further insight into OCPs degradation. Also, this study may help urban planners to determine the state of urban waters and to find the best solution for water management.

Smoking during pregnancy is causally associated with reduced birth weight and is strongly related to preterm birth. Smoking cessation in early pregnancy seems to reduce these risks, although the research evidence is limited. In a sample of Romanian women, differences in birth outcomes were assessed between non-smokers and women who continued to smoke during pregnancy and non-smokers and women who stopped smok- ing when they found out about the pregnancy. Pregnant women were recruited in two urban clinics (N= 474). A baseline questionnaire collected information on their smoking status, depressive symptoms, stress, demographics, and other characteristics at recruitment. The women reported the newborn weight and birth term by phone in the first weeks following birth. Descriptive statistics and multivariate regressions were used to ana- lyze the relationship between smoking status during pregnancy and birth outcomes. Over 61% (N = 290) women were non-smokers, 15% (N= 72) smoked during pregnancy, and 24% (N= 112) quit smoking when they found out about the pregnancy. Compared to non-smokers, continuous smokers delivered babies 165 grams lighter (95% CI -313, -17). Women who stopped smoking when they ascertained the pregnancy had higher odds of delivering a newborn who was small for gestational age compared to non-smokers (OR= 2.16, 95% CI 1.05, 4.43). Elevated maternal stress was associated with reduced birth weight (-113 grams, 95% CI -213, -11), and higher odds of a preterm birth (OR=2.8, 95% CI 1.17, 6.76). In a predominantly urban sample of Romanian women, continuous maternal smoking during pregnancy was a risk factor for restricted foetal growth. Smoking cessation when the pregnancy was ascertained did not seem to reduce this risk. Smoking prevention efforts should therefore begin before pregnancy and should integrate psychological components, addressing maternal stress in particular.

Objectives: To fill the gap in assessing nicotine dependence during pregnancy in an unexplored population in Central and Eastern Europe and to analyze the associations of maternal characteristics and prenatal risk factors with moderate-heavy nicotine dependence among pregnant smokers., Study Design: A questionnaire was applied to pregnant smokers in Romania to assess nicotine dependence and other related risks poorly documented in Central and Eastern Europe. The response rate was >80% and the valid sample included 137 pregnant smokers. Descriptive statistics and logistic regressions were used to assess nicotine dependence and to analyze the associations of maternal characteristic and prenatal risk factors with moderate-heavy nicotine dependence., Results: Approximately 43% of the pregnant smokers in our sample (59 of 137) had moderate to heavy nicotine dependence. Depressive symptoms were associated with moderate-heavy nicotine dependence among pregnant smokers (OR=3.07, p<0.05). Women carrying an unwanted pregnancy had higher odds of moderate-heavy nicotine dependence (OR=2.59, p<0.05) compared to other pregnant women. High stress, lack of social support, and socioeconomic status were not associated with nicotine dependence., Conclusions: A large proportion of women had moderate-heavy nicotine dependence in a sample of Romanian pregnant smokers. The more dependent pregnant smokers were more likely to have depressive symptoms. Prenatal care should include brief nicotine dependence assessments and mental health screening and referrals for pregnant women who smoke. Special and intensive efforts, including psychosocial components, may be needed for the nicotine dependent pregnant smokers., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)