A Study on the Management and Evolution of Land Use and Land Cover in Romania During the Period 1990–2022 in the Context of Political and Environmental Changes

Land use and land cover are the main anthropogenic factors that lead to the rapid and aggressive degradation of land and interfere with the functioning of ecosystems, especially through the expansion of urbanization and the reduction in forested areas. The purpose of this article is to identify sources of official data and to build an updated dataset upon which analysis algorithms can be applied. Basic analyses were performed on the dataset to study the evolution of land use and land cover in Romania during the period 1990–2022 and to analyze whether they align with and support national and European strategies for economic development. The study is based on the historical evolution of land use and land cover over the past 30 years, which has allowed us to identify current trends and to analyze potential future positive and negative effects, and facilitates the adoption of documented corrective measures. The methodology applied is based on the collection and analysis of historical data obtained mainly from the TEMPO database managed by the National Institute of Statistics and from the annual reports of the National Environmental Protection Agency, analyzing these data, identifying current trends, and issuing specific recommendations. Monitoring the dynamics of land use during the mentioned period allowed us to identify the most important developments with positive effects (a slight increase in forested areas and minimal variations in arable land) but mostly negative effects (a drastic reduction in areas occupied by vineyards and orchards, a decrease in areas occupied by water, and a concerning increase in unproductive land). The results highlight the importance of the immediate implementation of the national general cadastre system, as well as the importance of implementing appropriate policies, legislative provisions, and land management practices aimed at environmental protection and supporting sustainable development and biodiversity in general.