Researchers Alfred Vespremeanu-Stroe and Florin Zăinescu from the UB Faculty of Geography, co-authors of article “Delta sustainability from the Holocene to the Anthropocene and envisioning the future”, published at Springer Nature

Researchers Alfred Vespremeanu-Stroe and Florin Zăinescu, from the Faculty of Geography of the University of Bucharest published, together with a group of researchers, an article titled Delta sustainability from the Holocene to the Anthropocene and envisioning the future.

Published in magazine Nature Sustainability of Springer Nature, the article illustrates the critical importance of river deltas in the development of the great prehistoric civilizations (Egypt, Mesopotamnia, Harappa, China), and the fundamental role played in Antiquity and the Middle Ages, succeeding, nowadays, to ensure numerous ecosystemic services for regions with a population estimated between 350 and 500 million residents, in over 100 countries. As such, we can undoubtedly affirm that delta regions have represented true technological civilization incubators for the development of societies in the last 7000 years.

The authors of the study show that, in the past, deltas have known broad transformations which affected the population and the settlements in the area, but in the present, the changes dictated by the rapid rhythm of landscape changes and pressures at global level prove to be even more acute. In the absence of climate stabilization, delta sustainability (especially intensely populated deltas) positioned at low or medium altitudes will be maintained with great difficulty, which will lead, most likely, to ending the relationship between deltas and people as we know it now.

In order to continue remaining sustainable in the future, deltas must face the challenge of the sea level rise, caused by global warming, despite the fact that anthropic pressure and the decrease of sediment reserves as a result of dam construction increase their vulnerability. At the same time, human society will have to either adapt or retreat, which could lead to new migrations, either controlled or uncontrolled, with major implications for the communities in these areas. The study exposes the obstacles and challenges involved in repairing this increasingly dramatic situation, especially from the perspective of management and planning.

The article can be read on the publisher’s website. The full text can be obtained by addressing a request here.

In this context, Edward Anthony (the main author of the study) will coordinate project Delta-Hub: River Delta Science, Education, and Modeling Hub between 2025-2030 at the University of Bucharest. The project aims to increase the research capacity of the University of Bucharest in studying the world’s deltas, the Danube Delta representing one of the research hotspots assumed by the project. With a financing of 2,5 million euro through the Horizon Europe ERA Chairs program, the project will reunite a research team that aims to improve scientific performances in the field. The long-term goal is knowing the subtle adaptation mechanisms of deltas in the current context of climatic and anthropic pressures to anticipate and create the necessary conditions for sustainable, adaptable and resilient deltas.

Edward Anthony is a Geography professor at Aix-Marseille University in France, with over 30 years of experience in researching coastal geomorphology. His works cover various regions, such as the South America coast influenced by the Amazon, West Africa, the Mediterranean Sea, the Channel Tunnel and the Mekong Delta. Edward’s research integrates experimental field work and advanced laboratory techniques using high resolution topography, sedimentology, hydrodynamics and tele detection. His collaborations extend to French and international institutions, including partnerships with colleagues in Japan, the United Sates, Vietnam and Morocco. He also explores the impact of global changes, the rise of sea levels and sediment disturbance on coastal systems. Since 2015, he is chief editor of the Marine Geology magazine, contributing to the progress of marine and coastal sciences. His works are available here.

Alfred Vespremeanu-Stroe is a geographer, geomorphologist, university professor at the Faculty of Geography of the University of Bucharest and director of the Research group in Geomorphology, Geoarchaeology and Paleoenvironments (GEODAR) affiliated to the Research Institute of the University of Bucharest. At the same time, he manages the activities of Sfântu Gheorghe marine and riverine research center, that carries out activities of monitoring analysis and interpretation of the behavior of riverine, maritime and coastal system in order to gain knowledge on their specific dynamic and evolution and their current state of functioning, but also to elaborate evolutive scenarios in agreement with the tendencies of specific environment agents. His interest area include paleogeography, geomorphology and geoarchaeology (riverine and coastal). More information about his achievements is available here and here.

Florin Zăinescu is a geographer and geomorphologist. Currently he is a researcher of the CEREGE Institute (Centre de recherche et d’enseignement des géosciences de l’environnement), Aix-Marseille University in France, and member of the Sfântu Gheorghe marine and riverine research center of the UB faculty of Geography. He pursued his PhD at the University of Bucharest and Aix-Marseille University with a paper on the Danube mouths. In 2026 he will join project Delta-Hub.

His areas of interest are coastal geomorphology, the dynamics of seaside barriers, the evolution of the shoreline, recent climate, climate change and its impact on coastal and delta systems. His scientific works can be accessed here.

Florin Zăinescu contributed with article on platform infoclima.ro on his themes of interest. These are available here.