Mining activities for mineral resources over the years have resulted in major soil damage. Due the removal process of desired mineral materials, soil textures have been destroyed, various nutrient cycles have been disturbed, and microbial communities have been altered, affecting vegetation and leading to the destruction of wide areas of land in many countries. Therefore, soil restoration of abandoned mining lands became a very important part of sustainable development strategies and also prescribed by law in several countries. The main aims of this study were to develop an ecological land restoration strategy to the degraded lands due former kaolin, quartz sand, and iron mining located in Aghireșu and Căpușu Mare in Cluj County, in the Northwestern part of Transylvania from Romania and monitor soil quality changes over 40 years. To assess the effectiveness of soil reclamation of mine lands, 30 soil profiles were examined and 450 soil samples were collected from three depths (0–20 cm, 20–50 cm, and 50–80 cm) and subjected to physical and chemical analyses, and compared for their sustainable and beneficial use. All the proposed plant covers (natural grassland, pasture cover, black locust, Norway spruce, and scots pine) significantly improved the overall soil quality with the increasing years of reclamation following various patterns. Pasture cover most significantly enhanced the soil’s microbial activity, organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content followed by natural grassland. The results of this study show that considerable changes in soil quality was reached by revegetation of these abandoned mine lands restoring their ecological integrity and self-sustainability.

Sustainability reporting is an essential tool for companies and organizations to assess and communicate their sustainability performance. Its importance derives from the need for transparency and accountability to stakeholders, including investors, customers, employees and local communities. The principles underlying an effective sustainability report include integrity, accuracy, comparability and clarity. The main purpose of the sustainability report is to provide a clear view of the economic, social and environmental impact of the organization’s activities, contributing to continuous performance improvement and alignment with international standards. The objective of our study is to analyze sustainability reporting and ESG (environment, social, governance) reporting, key steps and methods for measuring and reporting sustainability, and the sustainability policy criteria and reporting frameworks used internationally (GRI, IIRC, SASB, TCFD, ISO 26000, ISO 14016) in order to identify areas for further development to improve the relevance and effectiveness of sustainability reporting. The results obtained from our study enable a better understanding of how an organization reports its social, economic, and environmental impact, the differences in compliance with the international standards used, the main steps, and sustainability criteria followed. Our research highlights the necessary actions and steps through which sustainability reporting can become a more effective and relevant tool, contributing to real sustainable development and more responsible resource management. The usefulness of this report is reflected in many aspects: it facilitates informed decision making, enhances trust and reputation, helps identify risks and opportunities, and supports sustainable business strategies. The sustainability report is not only a means of reporting but also a catalyst for positive change, promoting responsible business practices and contributing to global sustainable development.

Water footprint assessment is an analytical tool that helps us understand how activities, actions, and products from human activity influence the scarcity and pollution of water resources. The objectives of the paper are to study the water footprint that is necessary for the production of food for human consumption as an effective way to determine how food habits put pressure on water resources and to identify ways to reduce the stress found on them. To calculate the water footprint of food products consumed by Romanian residents, two types of data were used: information on the average annual net food consumption of each type of food considered during the research and the water footprint per unit of food consumed. In addition, an analysis was carried out based on the structure of the water footprint and the structure of food consumption. In terms of the structure of the water footprint, the contribution rate of the green water footprint is the highest, reaching 83.5%. This is followed by the blue water footprint and the gray water footprint, accounting for 9.04% and 7.46%, respectively. From the perspective of the structure of food consumption, the consumption of cereals, meat, milk, and dairy products contributed the most to the water footprint of residents’ food consumption, reaching 21.8% and 26.6%, respectively, and contributing 24.2% to the total water footprint of food consumption. Our research is useful for water management, improving the efficiency of use in agricultural technologies, and optimizing the structure of food consumption, such as reducing grain and meat consumption.

This study assesses the maturity level of environmental sustainability reporting among major publicly listed companies in Romania, in line with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRSs). Based on a sample of ten representative companies, the analysis covers five environmental dimensions defined by ESRSs E1–E5. Using a weighted indicator-based maturity framework, the results reveal a high level of reporting maturity in climate change, while substantial gaps persist in biodiversity and ecosystems reporting. The findings highlight key challenges in ESRS implementation in a transition economy context and provide a replicable methodological framework for future sustainability reporting assessments.

Optimization of nitrogen (N) management is critical for enhancing maize (Zea mays L.) productivity while maintaining soil health. The present study investigated the impact of split-application fertilization strategies on soil chemical properties and grain yield across three distinct soil types (calcaric fluvisol, luvic phaeozem, and stagnic phaeozem) in Mureș County, Romania, over three cropping seasons (2022–2024). Three fertilization variants were evaluated: the first treatment, designated V1, involved the application of 300 kg/ha NPK 20-20-0 + 300 kg/ha urea, the second treatment V2 utilized 300 kg/ha NPK 20-20-0 + 300 kg/ha NAC 27 N-calcium ammonium nitrate, and the third treatment V3 served as the baseline control, receiving (300 kg/ha NPK 20-20-0). Results indicated that significant differences were observed among the three experimental sites representing contrasting soil types for soil chemical properties and maize productivity. Calcaric fluvisol exhibited the highest production potential, attaining a mean yield of 11,702.78 kg/ha. The impact of N supplementation on soil N levels and maize yield was found to be significant. The variant receiving urea supplementation (V1) achieved the highest median yield of 9560 kg/ha in comparison to the 7420 kg/ha obtained in the control. A strong positive correlation was observed between N index and yield across all soil types (ρ = 0.93 to 0.97, p < 0.001). Fertilization significantly influenced soil pH, CaCO₃ content, nitrogen index, phosphorus availability, and maize yield, whereas humus content remained relatively stable among treatments. These findings indicate that a split-fertilization regime combining NPK with urea provides a favorable balance between productivity and cost-effectiveness and maize output in the Transylvanian Plateau.