Jeremy Rifkin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jeremy Rifkin
Rifkin in 2016
Born	(1945-01-26) January 26, 1945 (age 80) Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Pennsylvania Tufts University
Era	Contemporary philosophy
Region	Western philosophy
School	Liberalism
Main interests	Economics, social theory, political theory, futurology
Notable ideas	The empathic civilization, the Third Industrial Revolution, the end of work

Jeremy Rifkin (born January 26, 1945) is an American thinker, writer, and speaker. He advises governments and businesses on how science and technology change our world. Rifkin has written 23 books about how these changes affect the economy, jobs, society, and the environment.

He is known for his ideas like the "Third Industrial Revolution" and "The Empathic Civilization." His plan for the "Third Industrial Revolution" helps countries become more sustainable. This plan was officially supported by the European Parliament in 2007.

Many leaders have paid attention to Rifkin's ideas. For example, China's Premier Li Keqiang used ideas from Rifkin's book The Third Industrial Revolution in China's national plans. Germany also used his ideas to move towards a low-carbon economy.

Since 1995, Rifkin has taught at the Wharton School. He teaches business leaders how to make their companies more sustainable. He is also recognized as one of the most influential economic thinkers in the world.

Jeremy Rifkin's Life

Early Life and Education

Jeremy Rifkin was born in Denver, Colorado. He grew up in Chicago. In 1967, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in economics.

He was very active in the peace movement during college. He continued his studies at Tufts University and kept working against the war. Later, he joined Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA), a program that helps communities.

1970s: Early Activism

In 1970, Rifkin started the People's Bicentennial Commission. This group offered new ideas for how America could celebrate its 200th birthday.

In 1973, he led a big protest against oil companies in Boston Harbor. People dumped empty oil barrels into the water, calling it a "Boston Oil Party." This protest happened because gasoline prices went up a lot after the OPEC oil embargo.

In 1977, Rifkin and Ted Howard started the Foundation on Economic Trends (FOET). This group works on public policy issues related to the environment, economy, and climate change. FOET studies new trends and their effects on society.

Rifkin was one of the first people to criticize the new biotechnology industry. He wrote about it in his 1977 book, Who Should Play God?.

In 1978, Rifkin wrote The North Will Rise Again with Randy Barber. This book helped start the idea of socially responsible investment. This means investing money in companies that are good for society and the environment.

1980s: New Ideas and Challenges

Rifkin's 1980 book, Entropy: A New World View, talked about how the scientific idea of entropy applies to many parts of life. It explored how energy, cities, and even politics are affected by this concept.

In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that genetically engineered life forms could be patented. Rifkin's group argued against this, saying it was not covered by U.S. patent law.

In 1984, Rifkin won a court case that stopped the first planned release of genetically engineered organisms into the environment. He argued that the potential risks needed to be studied first. This ruling helped create rules for releasing such organisms.

In 1989, Rifkin brought together scientists and activists from 35 countries. They met in Washington, D.C., to discuss global warming. He also helped organize Hollywood leaders to raise awareness about environmental issues. This led to the creation of groups like Earth Communications Office (ECO).

1990s: Focus on Food and Work

In 1992, Rifkin published Beyond Beef. This book argued for reducing beef consumption due to its environmental impact. It suggested that methane emissions from cattle contribute to global warming.

That same year, Rifkin started the Pure Food Campaign. This campaign asked for all genetically engineered foods to be labeled. Over 1,500 chefs supported this effort.

His 1995 book, The End of Work, discussed how automation and technology might reduce the need for human workers. It explored the future of jobs in a world where machines become smarter.

In 1998, Rifkin wrote The Biotech Century. This book looked at the issues that came with the new era of genetic commerce. He warned about the risks of genetic technologies and how they could change life itself. Rifkin also supports animal rights and protection.

2000s: The Sharing Economy and Green Energy

Rifkin's 2000 book, The Age of Access, introduced the idea of the sharing economy. He explained how society was moving from owning things to accessing services through networks.

In 2002, he published The Hydrogen Economy. This book explored how hydrogen could become a major energy source. He worked with the European Union to create a plan for Europe to use green hydrogen.

His 2004 book, The European Dream, became a bestseller. It discussed how Europe's vision for the future was becoming a global ideal.

In 2009, Rifkin published The Empathic Civilization. This book suggests that humans are naturally an "empathic species." It argues that we are more connected and caring than often thought.

2011-2012: The Third Industrial Revolution

In 2011, Rifkin's book The Third Industrial Revolution became a New York Times best-seller. It was translated into many languages and was very popular in China.

In 2012, South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak supported Rifkin's "Third Industrial Revolution" idea to help create a green economy. China's Premier Li Keqiang also showed great interest in the book.

2013-2014: Zero Marginal Cost Society

In 2014, Rifkin published The Zero Marginal Cost Society. This book discusses how the Internet of Things and shared resources could lead to a world where many goods and services cost almost nothing to produce.

2015-2017: Global Influence

Rifkin received honorary doctorates from universities in Belgium in 2015. His ideas continued to influence China's national plans.

In 2016, Rifkin's company, TIR Consulting Group, helped cities like Rotterdam and Luxembourg create plans to become zero-emission economies. These plans involved citizens working together to address climate change.

In 2017, Rifkin gave speeches at the European Central Bank and the European Commission. He talked about transforming Europe into a smart "Third Industrial Revolution" economy. A documentary film about his ideas, The Third Industrial Revolution: A Radical New Sharing Economy, was released and viewed millions of times online.

2019-2022: Green New Deal and Resilience

In 2019, Rifkin published The Green New Deal. This book explains why he believes the fossil fuel era will end and offers a plan to save life on Earth. The European Green Deal, a plan to make Europe climate neutral by 2050, also uses ideas from the "Third Industrial Revolution."

In 2020, Rifkin received the German Sustainability Award for his work on climate change.

In 2021, he helped create a $16 trillion plan for America's infrastructure. This plan, called "America 3.0," aims to build a smart, zero-emission economy and create millions of new jobs. Rifkin also provided commentary for the BBC documentary series A Perfect Planet, narrated by Sir David Attenborough.

In 2022, Rifkin published The Age of Resilience. This book suggests that humanity is moving towards a new era focused on resilience and living in harmony with nature.

Books by Jeremy Rifkin

• 1973, How to Commit Revolution American Style: Bicentennial Declaration
• 1975, Common Sense II: The Case Against Corporate Tyranny
• 1977, Own Your Own Job: Economic Democracy for Working Americans
• 1977, Who Should Play God? The Artificial Creation of Life and What it Means for the Future of the Human Race
• 1978, The North Will Rise Again: Pensions, Politics and Power in the 1980s
• 1979, The Emerging Order: God in the Age of Scarcity
• 1980, Entropy: A New World View
• 1983, Algeny: A New Word—A New World
• 1985, Declaration of a Heretic
• 1987, Time Wars: The Primary Conflict In Human History
• 1990, The Green Lifestyle Handbook: 1001 Ways to Heal the Earth (edited by Rifkin)
• 1991, Biosphere Politics: A New Consciousness for a New Century
• 1992, Beyond Beef: The Rise and Fall of the Cattle Culture
• 1992, Voting Green: Your Complete Environmental Guide to Making Political Choices In The 90s
• 1995, The End of Work: The Decline of the Global Labor Force and the Dawn of the Post-Market Era
• 1998, The Biotech Century: Harnessing the Gene and Remaking the World
• 2000, The Age Of Access: The New Culture of Hypercapitalism, Where All of Life is a Paid-For Experience
• 2002, The Hydrogen Economy: The Creation of the Worldwide Energy Web and the Redistribution of Power on Earth
• 2004, The European Dream: How Europe's Vision of the Future is Quietly Eclipsing the American Dream
• 2010, The Empathic Civilization: The Race to Global Consciousness In a World In Crisis
• 2011, The Third Industrial Revolution: How Lateral Power is Transforming Energy, the Economy, and the World
• 2014, The Zero Marginal Cost Society: The internet of things, the collaborative commons, and the eclipse of capitalism
• 2019, The Green New Deal: Why the Fossil Fuel Civilization Will Collapse by 2028, and the Bold Economic Plan to Save Life on Earth
• 2022, The Age of Resilience: Reimagining Existence on a Rewilding Earth
• 2024, Planet Aqua: Rethinking Our Home in the Universe

See also

In Spanish: Jeremy Rifkin para niños