Renowned economist Jeremy Rifkin visited the Bostik Smart Technology Center in Venette in France on 30 June 2016 as part of a delegation promoting a ‘Third Industrial Revolution’.
The world is changing and to meet current and future environmental and social challenges, the Hauts de France region of France, which combines the Nord Pas de Calais and Picardie regions, is engaged in the Third Industrial Revolution (TIR) initiative. The program is focusing on specific production sectors which will drive future industrial and economic development.
Since 2012, Jeremy Rifkin has been working closely with the Hauts de France region to develop an action plan to deliver the vision of the TIR initiative. On 30 June, as part of a 20 person delegation, including representatives from local government, he visited the Bostik Smart Technology Center located in Venette. During the visit, he was taken behind the scenes to learn more about the innovation and material science activities of one of the world’s leading adhesive firms. As part of the visit, the delegation toured the facilities which include upstream and downstream R&D activities and pilot demonstrators.
In addition, the group visited the Smart House which is a full-scale laboratory focused on the development of sustainable building materials. Research is aligned on developing materials and solutions which are environmentally-friendly, contribute to energy efficiency, and offer improved comfort and wellbeing.
The Third Industrial Revolution concept
The foundations of the Third Industrial Revolution are built on innovation and R&D activities organized around five main pillars:
(1) Transitioning to renewable energy
(2) Transforming buildings across the world to collect renewable energies on site
(3) Deploying hydrogen and other storage technologies to store energy
(4) Using technology to transform power grids across each continent to perform as an inter-connected and highly efficient network
(5) Transitioning to transport vehicles which use electricity and fuel cells as a power source
Influence on the Hauts de France region
The Hauts de France region’s local government is promoting and emphasizing the excellence of the Nord Pas de Calais and Picardie regions in the area of innovation.
Led by Jeremy Rifkin, and using the principles of the Third Industrial Revolution, the region is focused on promoting itself as a technologically advanced location which utilizes the expertise and synergies resulting from the businesses, educational institutions, government and local communities located there.
Its vision is for the region to create a new economic paradigm which can transform the world.
Additional information on the Third Industrial Revolution initiative in Hauts de France is available from its dedicated website.
About Jeremy Rifkin
Jeremy Rifkin (born 26 January 1945), is a world-renowned economic and social theorist, writer, public speaker, political advisor and activist. He has authored numerous publications on the impact of scientific and technological changes on the economy, the workforce, society and the environment. In his book titled Third Industrial Revolution, which was published in 2011, he explores how lateral power is transforming energy, the economy and the world in general. The premise of the book is that fundamental economic change occurs when new communication technologies converge with new energy regimes, particularly renewable electricity.
Mr Rifkin has been an advisor to the European Union since 2000 and has advised the past three Presidents of the European Commission and their leadership teams. He has also served as an advisor to the leadership of the European Parliament and numerous heads of state during their respective European Council Presidencies on issues related to the economy, climate change and energy security.
Since 1994, Rifkin has been a senior lecturer at the Wharton School's Executive Education Program at the University of Pennsylvania, where he instructs CEOs and senior management on transitioning their business operations into sustainable economies.
Rifkin is also the President of the TIR Consulting Group, LLC, which is comprised of many of the leading firms in fields including renewable energy, architecture, construction, electricity, electronics, IT and transportation.