The social, political and economic transition from 3.8 billion people in 1970 to 7 billion in 2011 and most probably 8 in 2025, represents a new phase in human history. Great changes are expected to occurr in the next two decades and radical decisions are to be taken accordingly: humanity is currently confronted with huge environmental impacts, the further deterioration of climate and the decline of biodiversity. To these phenomena, which have already occurred in the past, are now associted risks such as the decreasing hospitability of the biosphere, the on going financial ed economic global crisis, the growing divide between rich and poor and the fact that future generations are being deprived of non renewable resources we are delpleting at unprecedented speed. Either we react to the decline of the environment and society through scientific progress, an efficient democracy and the initiation of a sustainable development process, or we will all be involved in local and regional conflicts and affected by widespread global instability. The book "The Global Environmental Crisis", A global perspective for a sustainable future and a non-exclusive proposal to the European Union (2012), illustrates the climate change triggered by human activities and a society not ready yet for a well-timed transition. The Author's proposal is based on a long-term Sustainable Development Process (SPD) coordinated by the United Nations, and a short term Reference Transition Model (RTM) that big Nations, and the European Union first, should carry on for a way out of the current emergency. Around twenty copies of the book "The Global Environmental Crisis" have been donated to the European Union Authorities and some Member Countries, and to the Secretary General of the United Nations in the hope that action is taken before it is too late, before climate change starts driving the game.
About the Author: Giovanni Rantucci started his career in 1967 as a geologist/geophisicist involved in oil prospecting with the US company Geophysical Service Inc. From 1969 to 1982 he worked in developing countries in the design and rehabilitation of roads and highways; between 1983 and 1989 he served as Associate Professor in the Division of Geotechnical and Transportation Engineering at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Bangkok in a project financed by the Italian Cooperation through the UNDP. At the beginning of 1990s he witnessed in the Philipines the July 16 1990 Earthquake and the the June 1991 eruption of Pinatubo. Between 1992 and 2002 he worked with the Italian Cooperation (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs) in the evaluation and financing of projects and in the field of natural disasters visiting several countries in Asia, Africa, Central and South America. In 1994 he published the book "Geological Disasters in the Philippines" and in 1995 soon after the devastating January earthquake he visited Kobe and Osaka in Japan and co-authored the book "The kobe Eartquake" (in Italian). His latest book is the "The Global Environmental crisis".