by Alessandro Torello Direction and production: M. Lenzi - D. Ruiz Devesa Length: 3'12'' Language: English

Bio Sketch

Jeremy Rifkin, president of the Foundation on Economic Trends, is the author of seventeen books on the impact of scientific and technological changes on the economy, the workforce, society, and the environment. His books have been translated into more than twenty languages and are used in hundreds of universities around the world.

Jeremy Rifkin’s newest book, The European Dream, published in September 2004, represents the culmination of two decades of intellectual and political work in Europe.

The New York Times notes, in an article on the new Europe, that Mr. Rifkin is one of a handful of American intellectuals whose economic and social ideas have been widely embraced in Europe by government, industry, and civil society.

Mr. Rifkin has spent nearly 20 years commuting back and forth between America and Europe—spending upwards of one-third of his time on the continent. He has lectured and consulted with virtually every major corporation in Europe over the past two decades. Mr. Rifkin has also served as an advisor to government leaders and heads of state and is currently serving as a personal advisor to Romano Prodi, the President of the European Commission, the governing body of the European Union.

Mr. Rifkin’s world column appears in the leading newspapers and magazines in Europe including The Guardian in the U.K., Die Suddeutsche Zeitung and Welt am Sonntag in Germany, L’Espresso in Italy, El Pais in Spain, Le Monde in France, and Clarin in Argentina.

Many of the ideas put forth in Mr. Rifkin’s past books have had a significant influence in shaping public opinion and public policy in Europe. His 1980 book, Entropy, was instrumental in helping shape the intellectual debate that led to the rise of the Green parties in Germany, Italy, and elsewhere in Europe.

Mr. Rifkin’s 1995 international bestseller, The End of Work, is widely credited with jump-starting the discussion on the shorter workweek in Europe. The book and Mr. Rifkin’s subsequent consultation with French industry and French political leaders helped facilitate the successful adoption of the 35-hour workweek in France.

Mr. Rifkin’s 1998 book, The Biotech Century, has become the standard reference on critical issues surrounding biotechnology and is the most widely read book in Europe on the genetic engineering revolution. Mr. Rifkin spearheaded the fight against genetically modified foods (GMOs) in Europe in the 1990s. Europe’s opposition to GM food has become one of the critical dividing lines between Europe and America in world trade in recent years (see enclosed lead story on page one of The Wall Street Journal on Mr. Rifkin’s GMO work in Europe).

Mr. Rifkin’s 2000 bestseller, The Age of Access, became a lightening rod in Europe on the impact of globalization on cultural identity. The book has also been adopted by leading companies across the EU as a corporate primer for how to make the transition from a market economy to a global network economy. The book was the recipient of two prestigious awards, the Fnac–Arthur Andersen Business Book Award for Best Essay of 2001, and the Bruno Kreisky Award for Best Political Book of 2000.

Mr. Rifkin’s 2002 bestseller, The Hydrogen Economy, helped create a continental debate around the need to shift Europe’s energy regime from dependency on fossil fuels to a renewable based hydrogen regime. In his capacity as a personal advisor to President Prodi, Mr. Rifkin drafted the critical memorandum which led to the EU becoming the first superpower to implement a long-term plan to become a fully integrated hydrogen economy by mid-century.

[from the website of the Foundation on Economic Trends]