First published 2011
The fossil fuel economy teeters on collapse as gas prices surge, unemployment persists, and debt mountains grow. Jeremy Rifkin presents his blueprint for economic transformation through the convergence of internet technology and renewable energy sources. He envisions millions of people generating clean power in their buildings and sharing it through an energy internet that mirrors today's information networks. Rifkin outlines five pillars that will spawn countless enterprises and jobs while shifting power structures from top-down hierarchies to horizontal networks. This transition will transform commerce, governance, education, and civic engagement. The European Union Parliament has formally endorsed his framework, while countries across Asia, Africa, and the Americas develop their own transition plans. Rifkin provides insider access to the leaders driving this change, from presidents and corporate executives to social innovators and advocacy groups.
Genres: science, business, economics, environment, non-fiction, 21st-century
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: insider-access
Setting: Africa, Americas, Asia, European Union
Period: 21st Century
304 pages · Hardcover · St. Martin's Press