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 (BS) Tufts University (MA)
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 on January 26, 1945, is an American thinker, writer, and speaker. He advises leaders on how science and technology change our economy, jobs, society, and the environment. Rifkin has written 23 books, including The Age of Resilience (2022), The Green New Deal (2019), and The Third Industrial Revolution (2011).

He is known for creating the "Third Industrial Revolution" plan. This plan helps countries become more sustainable. It aims to solve big problems like economic crises, energy needs, and climate change. The European Parliament officially supported this plan in 2007. China's Premier Li Keqiang also used ideas from Rifkin's book, The Third Industrial Revolution, in China's national plans.

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

Jeremy Rifkin's Early Life and Education

Growing Up and School

Jeremy Rifkin was born in Denver, Colorado. He grew up in Chicago. He studied economics at the University of Pennsylvania and graduated in 1967. He also earned a master's degree in International Affairs from Tufts University in 1968.

Early Activism

During his college years, Rifkin was active in the peace movement. In 1970, he started the People's Bicentennial Commission. This group offered new ideas for America's 200th birthday celebration.

In 1973, Rifkin led a protest against oil companies in Boston Harbor. This event, called the "Boston Oil Party" by the news, happened after gas prices went up due to an oil embargo.

Important Work and Ideas

Starting the Foundation on Economic Trends

In 1977, Rifkin co-founded the Foundation on Economic Trends (FOET). This group works on public policy issues related to the environment, economy, and climate change. FOET looks at new trends and their effects on our world. They also work to educate people and bring groups together to reach their goals.

Early Books and Ideas

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

In 1978, he co-wrote The North Will Rise Again. This book helped start the idea of investing money in a way that is good for society. This led to what we now call ESG (Environment, Society, and Governance) standards in investments.

His 1980 book, Entropy: A New World View, talked about how the idea of entropy (things naturally moving towards disorder) applies to many parts of life, like energy, cities, and the economy.

Protecting the Environment and New Technologies

In the 1980s, Rifkin was involved in important legal cases. He argued against allowing patents on genetically engineered life forms. He also successfully stopped an experiment that would have released genetically altered organisms into the environment without proper safety checks. These actions helped create rules for how genetically engineered organisms are used.

In 1989, Rifkin brought together scientists and activists from many countries to discuss global warming. He also helped start environmental groups in Hollywood, like the Earth Communications Office (ECO).

Focus on Food and Work

In 1992, Rifkin published Beyond Beef. This book argued for reducing beef consumption due to its environmental impact, especially methane emissions. He also launched the Pure Food Campaign, asking for labels on all genetically engineered foods.

His 1995 book, The End of Work, discussed how automation and technology might reduce the need for human workers. This book helped start important discussions about the future of jobs.

In 1998, Rifkin wrote The Biotech Century. This book explored the challenges and ethical questions that come with new genetic technologies. He warned about the power of genetic engineering and its potential risks.

The 2000s and Beyond

The Age of Access and Hydrogen Economy

Rifkin's 2000 book, The Age of Access, introduced the idea that society is moving from owning things to accessing services. This concept helped explain the rise of the sharing economy.

In 2002, he published The Hydrogen Economy. This book explored how green hydrogen could become a major energy source. Rifkin advised the European Union on a plan to shift towards a hydrogen-based economy.

The European Dream and Empathy

His 2004 book, The European Dream, became a bestseller. It suggested that Europe's vision for the future was becoming more appealing globally than the traditional American Dream.

In 2009, Rifkin published The Empathic Civilization. In this book, he argued that humans are naturally empathic and that this ability is key to solving global problems.

The Third Industrial Revolution and Recent Work

Rifkin's 2011 book, The Third Industrial Revolution, became a New York Times bestseller. It describes how combining renewable energy with the internet could create a new economic system. This idea has been adopted by many governments, including South Korea, the European Union, and China.

In 2014, he published The Zero Marginal Cost Society. This book discussed how the Internet of Things and shared resources could lead to a world where many goods and services become almost free to produce.

In 2019, Rifkin released 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 Commission later announced its own European Green Deal, which aims to make Europe climate neutral by 2050.

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, focusing on a zero-emission economy.

His 2022 book, The Age of Resilience, suggests that humanity is moving towards a time where we focus on bouncing back from challenges and living in harmony with nature. In 2024, his book Planet Aqua was recognized by the journal 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