UNOC3 • Cronkite Ocean Awards

@ Building a Blue Economy Global Showcase

Cronkite Ocean Awards 2025

The Institute is proud to announce the recipient of the 2025 Cronkite Ocean Awards James Ellsmoor, Island Innovations as a champion of islands around the world. Presented during the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice, France, this prestigious annual award honors global leaders who are advancing ocean sustainability and exemplifying the integrity, courage, and vision of legendary broadcaster and environmental advocate Walter Cronkite, the Institute’s honorary chairperson for over a decade. The Institute continued its tradition of having past recipients present the Award with 2024 Cronkite Awards recipient Mark Haver, Blue Planet Alliance's Global Ambassador. Myriam Arif, Chief of Protocole represented UNOC Co-Host Mayor Christian Estrosi, Mayor of Nice, France and Stephane Tallon, Musée de la Photographie Charles Nègre hosted the event. 

UNOC3 • Nice, France with Dr. Sylvia Earle

It was an honor to be invited by Dr. Sylvia Earle to join the prestigious Mission Blue event at the U. N. Ocean Conference in Nice, France. We are grateful for your continuing passion and inspiration for young people around the world. Our journey began in 2014 with the first Ocean Summit in Washington D.C. with Secretary John Kerry, Prince Albert and Leonardo DiCaprio. Dr. Earle was the recipient of the Cronkite Awards 2014 on Martha's Vineyard. Press

Walter Cronkite epitomized the spirit of what went up (to space) and what went down (to sea) and as a young scientist that inspired me. I see his presence is still alive with the Institute's work. I am honored to be receiving this award.

Dr. Sylvia Earle, Cronkite Award 2014 

Building the Blue Economy Ecosystem: A Global Showcase

For the Institute's Cronkite Ocean Initiative we built a Showcase on Building a Blue Economy Ecosystem & Workforce Development Pipeline featuring the Institute's SustainWDN™ Sustainable Career Pathways. This initiative highlights how Blue Economy companies can collaborate with academic institutions to cultivate a strong pipeline of sustainable workforce talent. The Showcase features the Institute's SustainWDN™ Sustainable Career Pathways from Martha's Vineyard to Hawaii; Vieques, Puerto Rico, Azores, Portugal, British Virgin Islands, The Philippines and coastal communities in Boston and New Bedford, Massachusetts, Newport, RI, and San Francisco/Bay Area California. Case Studies

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Read The Institute's Report to the College of Marin

The Institute conducted an intensive 10-week paid internship with College of Marin students to explore our SustainWDN™ Platform. The interns each researched on Sustainable Career Pathways to explore entry, mid, and advanced-level jobs - projected jobs, salary ranges and education requirements. They researched other community colleges that are offering sustainability certificates to meet this demand. Through their research, interns were heartened to find that these careers are accessible, in demand, and offer living wages that could allow them to live and work in Marin and the Bay Area. Eager to support future students and the College's sustainability goals, they made recommendations for the College to expand its academic offerings to prepare students for green jobs.

Read The Institute's Report to the College of Marin

How to Envision & Build a Blue Economy Workforce Development Pipeline & Eco-System in Marin/Bay Area/Northern California

California’s Blue Economy is booming —spanning ocean exploration, sustainable aquaculture, underwater robotics, and marine-based renewable energy. The OECD projects this sector will surpass $3 trillion globally by 2030. This explosive growth demands bold partnerships between academia and industry to shape a future workforce ready to meet the challenge.

On June 9 the College of Marin hosted a meeting with business, government, education leaders to explore how we might collaborate to build a Blue Economy.

• Terry Sawyer, Hog Island Oyster Co. presented the need for aquaculture training program

• Yvonne Harris, Marin City video

• Alex Loucks: Clean Water Management 

• Dr. Dana Emerson, College of Marin Asst. Superintendent/VP

• Stephanie Moulton Peters, Marin County Board of Supervisors

• Dirk Rosen, MARE, Romberg Ocean Science Center

• Tim Karas, President, Mendocino Community College's Noyo Ocean Collective

• Graham Balch, ZeroMar's Marine Electrification Apprenticeship Program

• Jack Sherwood, Sausalito business community

The Institute presented the Blue Economy Business Survey Results and highlights from the Report 

• Marin students are seeking green career pathways that offer both purpose and prosperity.

• Blue Economy employers are ready to invest in local workforce development: they need partners

• Our highly educated community want to serve as guest speakers, mentors, and adjunct faculty.

• High schools stand ready to align curricula, expand dual-enrollment, and career certificates.

• The College can learn from innovations like Boston's clean water management center, which transformed their harbor from the dirtiest to the cleanest in the US. 

• California has thousands of new jobs in clean water management, thus the need for training. The College could become the new academic partner to repurpose the Romberg Center to become a workforce development training center for aquaculture and clean water management. The College could reach out to Marin City's community to provide entry-level clean water management training for Black men who have been left behind by previous funding cuts. This could have a powerful ripple effect on the whole community.

www.cronkitewards.com www.sustainwdn.com

www.stonesoupleadership.org