Lectures and Activities

New York, 22 April 2017

Fast Company profile piece on Jeremy Rifkin and the Third Industrial Revolution

While his plans are in the works in Europe and Asia, The Third Industrial Revolution, a new film about Rifkin and his work, that recently premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, aims to explain his framework for a plan for the U.S. While President Trump and Republican and Democratic lawmakers have made some attempts toward putting together a massive $1 trillion infrastructure plan, any details remain murky. Rifkin wants a plan that instead would take power from the bickering tug-of-war of federal politics, and give it to the people, businesses, and local officials who can affect change on the ground.

The film (a Vice production) is based around the theories Rifkin presented in his book of the same name, and two other of his books, The Empathic Civilization (2009) and Zero Marginal Cost Society (2014). The film explores the challenges of climate change and globalization, the opportunities created by the rise of the internet and automation, and how governments and corporations should be preparing for–and working to build–a society and economy driven by sustainable innovation, and powered by renewable and distributed energy. “I think the green shoots are coming up everywhere; we’re seeing telltale signs of what’s in the film,” Rifkin tells Fast Company. “My hope is if people see the film it will make sense to them because it’s already on the tip of their tongue. They know all the sentences, they just hadn’t put the chapters together. Then it just makes sense. And once that happens, they never go back. I think a lot of people are right there.”

Brussels, 7 February 2017

The Smart Europe Third Industrial Revolution long-term economic development plan was formally announced by Maros Sefcovic, Vice President of the European Commission, Markku Markkula, President of the Committee of the Regions, and Jeremy Rifkin on February 7th 2017. Mr. Rifkin is currently advising the European Commission on the deployment of the Smart Europe initiative and will be working with the 350 formal regions of the EU in the creation of road maps to deploy the new economic narrative and vision across Europe. The titular heads of TIR Consulting Group LLC’s three test regions – Xavier Bertrand, President of Hauts-de France; Etienne Schneider, Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg; and Ahmed Aboutaleb, Mayor of Rotterdam – all presented the TIR initiatives in each of their jurisdictions.

Jeremy Rifkin meets with Ahmed Aboutaleb, Mayor of Rotterdam, and Maros Sefcovic, Vice President of the European Commission

Mr. Rifkin joined with Ahmed Aboutaleb, Mayor of Rotterdam, and Maros Sefcovic, Vice President of the European Commission in Rotterdam to present the Third Industrial Revolution Strategy Study. The Metropolitan Region of Rotterdam and The Hague (MRDH), which comprises 23municipalities with a combined population of 2.3 million, has been working with TIR Consulting Group LLC over the past year in a joint project to craft an economic vision and development plan to transform this large swath of the Netherlands into a Third Industrial Revolution. This collaborative effort has resulted in a 152,000 word Roadmap Next Economy report to make this extended metropolitan region a pioneer in the build out of a smart Digital Europe.

Frankfurt, 31 January 2017

On January 31st 2017, the European Union launched the digital Third Industrial Revolution Smart Europe economic modernization plan with a conference hosted by Mario Draghi, President of the European Central Bank, called “Into the Future: Europe’s Digital Integrated Market.” Mr. Rifkin delivered a keynote address on transforming the European Union into a smart Third Industrial Revolution paradigm.

Jeremy Rifkin giving a keynote at PCMA’s Convening Leaders conference that was held in Austin

Jeremy Rifkin gave a keynote speech at the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) annual “Convening Leaders” conference. Mr. Rifkin spoke to 4,500 leaders in the global meetings, convention, and business events industry.

Detroit, 9 January 2017

Mr. Rifkin joined Mark Fields, CEO of Ford, in Detroit to give a keynote speech at Ford’s “Cities of Tomorrow” symposium at the North American International Auto Show. The event also marked the announcement of the forthcoming film, The Third Industrial Revolution: A New Story for the Human Family. The film, presented by VICE and Ford, was exclusively previewed at “The City of Tomorrow” and explores the future of mobility, sustainability and climate change in cities, and how people can prepare to live productively, successfully and happily in the future. The session, moderated by VICE Chief Creative Officer Eddy Moretti, was designed to create a conversation for a brighter future, and drew insight from top entrepreneurs, disruptors and CEOs, including Rifkin, WeWork Founder and CEO Adam Neumann and Ford Chief Information Officer Marcy Klevorn.

Jeremy Rifkin shakes hands with Deputy Prime Minister Schneider at the occasion of the Luxembourg Sustainability Forum, November 14, 2016, in Luxembourg.

Luxembourg, 14 November 2016

At the occasion of the Luxembourg Sustainability Forum, Mr. Rifkin presented Etienne Schneider, Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg, with the Third Industrial Revolution Strategy Study. The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and TIR Consulting Group LLC have engaged in a deep collaborative initiative over the past twelve months, designed to transform the country into the first nation-state of the smart green Third Industrial Revolution era. The year-long project has culminated in a 475 page Third Industrial Revolution Strategy Study to help guide the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg into the next stage of its journey.

Barcelona, 21 September 2016

Mr. Rifkin joined Carles Puigdemont, President of the region of Catalonia, in Barcelona to address 800 Catalan stakeholders (institutions, politicians, and entrepreneurs) on how Catalonia can be a leader in the transition to a Third Industrial Revolution.

Bratislava, 9 July 2016

Mr. Rifkin joined Maros Sefcovic, Vice President of the European Commission for Energy Union, and Markku Markkula, President of the Committee of the Regions, in Bratislava to give a keynote presentation and showcase the Third Industrial Revolution flagship regions of Hauts-de-France and the Metropolitan Region of Rotterdam and The Hague. The summit gathered around 700 people from across Europe and was the largest event held in Bratislava during Slovakia’s EU Presidency. Delegates at the Summit included the 350 members of the European Committee of the Regions and politicians from the national and European level, as well as European Commissioners, experts, and business representatives.

Brussels, 13 April 2016

Mr. Rifkin was invited to give the first annual Herman Van Rompuy lecture in honor of Herman Van Rompuy, the first President of the European Council, and his work on the European project. Mr. Rifkin spoke to European leaders about the opportunities and challenges brought on by a Third Industrial Revolution Smart Europe.

Dallas, 6 April 2016

The WTTC Global Summit is established as the key annual event in the Travel and Tourism calendar – a place where people meet, where business is done, and ideas exchanged. The Summit agenda addressed the major issues that are critical for political and industry leaders and was attended by some of the sector’s most influential CEOs and policy makers. Mr. Rifkin gave a keynote presentation on how technological developments and changing business models are disrupting the travel and tourism industry.

Beijing, 25 March 2016

Dr. Wang Yi, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, presented Mr. Rifkin with a Certificate of Appointment, certifying that Mr. Rifkin has been appointed as a member of the International Advisory Board of the Institutes of Science and Development at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. During this trip to China, Mr. Rifkin also signed a memorandum of understanding between the China Center for Information Industry Development (CCID) and TIR Consulting Group LLC.

Dusseldorf, 21 March 2016

Jeremy Rifkin joined Wolfgang Bernhard, CEO of Daimler Trucks & Buses, in Hamburg to give a keynote speech in front of hundreds of journalists. The keynote speech preceded a live demonstration of Daimler’s new driverless trucks platooning on the Germany motorway.

Munich, 17 January 2016

The DLD (Digital, Life, and Design) Conference is Europe’s hottest digital innovation conference and has been named ‘one of the two most important innovation conferences in Europe’ by The Economist. Mr. Rifkin gave a keynote address to over 800 invited guests and 220 journalists.