Rob Hopkins is a renowned activist and writer on environmental issues, based in Totnes, England. He is best known for founding and leading the Transition movement, which he initiated in 2005. Hopkins has written six books on environmentalism and activism, inspiring countless individuals and groups to take action.
Born in Chiswick, London, Hopkins grew up in London until the age of 12, when he moved to Wiltshire. He attended St John's School, followed by the Bristol Waldorf School for two years, and then Henbury School to earn his A Level. He later pursued an art foundation course at Bower Ashton Art College, also in Bristol.
In 1988, Hopkins spent two and a half years living at Istituto Lama Tsong Khapa, a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Tuscany, Italy, serving as the house manager. He then embarked on a year-long journey through India, Pakistan, China, Tibet, Hong Kong, and India, where he met his partner Emma.
The couple settled in Bristol, where Hopkins earned a degree in Environmental Quality & Resource Management at the University of the West of England and completed his Permaculture Design Course.
Hopkins holds a first-class honors degree in environmental quality and resource management from the University of the West of England, a Master of Science in social research, and a doctorate from Plymouth University on the subject of transition. He is a visiting fellow at Plymouth University and has received honorary doctorates from the University of the West of England and the University of Namur.
From 1996 to 2005, Hopkins and his family resided in south-west Ireland, where he worked with An Taisce West Cork, taught permaculture, and established an ecovillage project. He also started the Practical Sustainability course at Kinsale Further Education College, which became the world's first two-year Permaculture course.
In 2001, Hopkins' home was destroyed in a fire, but he continued to work tirelessly on environmental issues. He is widely recognized for his dedication and inspiration, with Bill McKibben stating, "there's no one on earth who's just done more [environmental] stuff – and inspired more doing – than Rob Hopkins."
