Cristina Iacoboaea

This paper presents a structured, expert-informed framework for inclusive waste management in marginalized urban areas (MUAs), addressing critical challenges at the intersection of environmental governance, infrastructure inequality, and social exclusion. The framework was developed through extensive consultations with 37 international experts and tested through a deployment plan piloted in Reșița, Romania. The framework is adaptable to site-specific realities and is intended to evolve annually based on monitoring and feedback. With a strong focus on community engagement, institutional coordination, and policy alignment, the framework lays out an incremental implementation path. The Reșița pilot demonstrates how targeted, participatory actions—ranging from stakeholder mobilization and tailored education to infrastructure enhancements and policy reforms—can drive sustainable improvements in waste management and civic inclusion. This study contributes to the literature on environmental justice and urban sustainability by providing a dynamic, scalable model that can be customized to diverse socio-spatial contexts.

Implementing circular and carbon-neutral waste management practices is essential for promoting environmental sustainability and public health. This is particularly critical in marginalized areas, where effective waste management strategies play a pivotal role in addressing environmental challenges, promoting community well-being, and fostering sustainable development. The article will explore waste management in marginalized urban areas in an integrated manner, exploring key European research domains: waste management, housing in informal settlements, and spatial information. We examined 37 Local Development Strategies (LDSs) for marginalized urban areas (MUAs) in Romania to determine whether they incorporate waste management measures. In addition, we used QGIS along with imagery accessible on the European Space Agency’s platform. This supplies Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite data. We referred to a specific urban area, namely the Municipality of Turda, selected from the endorsed LDS, where the illegal landfills are present. Based on the data presented in the LDS and confirmed with the in situ verification or remotely using street view platforms, we have determined that the identified areas indeed contain illegal waste deposits. To validate these findings, the methodology employed, along with observations and results from the Turda study area, can be extended to other territories and marginalized urban areas.

The deployment of automated vehicles (AVs) has the potential to disrupt and fundamentally transform urban transportation. As their implementation becomes imminent on cities’ streets, it is of great concern that no comprehensive strategies have been formulated to effectively manage and mitigate their potential negative impacts, particularly with respect to the components of the do no significant harm (DNSH) framework recently introduced in the EU taxonomy. The methodology employed comprises three steps: (i) An extensive literature review on the impact of AVs on the DNSH components; (ii) exploration of designing a coherent pro-active vision by integrating measures identified in the literature as key elements to mitigate the harm; and (iii) an interdisciplinary focus group (FG) to verify whether the impacts of AVs and potential mitigation measures for Bucharest are similar to those identified by the literature and integrated into the pro-active vision. The results suggest that while there are commonalities, variations exist in focus and perspective, underscoring the necessity of examining the mitigation measures encompassed in the vision through additional focus groups conducted in different cities.

To achieve a succesful energy transition, the collaboration of all stakeholders and policies for decarbonization at all levels are required. In this context, we aim to assess the perspective of energy transition in marginalized urban areas in Romania. The research is based on findings from a consistent analysis of 37 local development strategies in Romania in terms of energy (electricity and heating service provision). Despite the issues identified, we detected that communities across the country showed limited interest in renewable energy, which may be linked to low levels of awareness and education of residents in marginalized communities. In parallel with the analysis of the strategies, we developed Romania’s maps for renewable solar resources. Then, we developed maps of energy potential by linking the map of marginalized communities with the map of renewable energy resource potential in Romania. In addition, we used the PVGIS solar radiation tool to generate results related to median solar radiation estimates. Finally, we concluded by proposing an awareness raising and education program for the local communities on the solar energy solutions and a roadmap for potential energy projects in marginalized urban areas.