Blue Economy Primer

In this episode, we hear from James Ellsmoor, founder and leader of multiple initiatives focused on helping island states and coastal communities around the world to coordinate strategies for addressing common challenges and opportunities of building sustainable blue economies while navigating the impacts of climate change and global economic discontinuity. James is an award-winning serial entrepreneur and writer recognized on the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work on building global networks that support the deployment of renewable energy systems through the empowerment of island states’ government leadership. He shares with us his deep knowledge of emerging technologies, climate change adaptation solutions, environmental policy, and how these can be balanced with sustainable tourism and blue economy development.

Please visit the episode 10 webpage to find additional links, references and background information.

GUEST BIO:
James Ellsmoor
CEO of Island Innovation

James Ellsmoor is an award-winning serial entrepreneur and writer. He is CEO at Island Innovation, a social enterprise, and the Co-Founder and Director at Solar Head of State, an NGO. Recognized on the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work on sustainable energy, James is passionate about climate change advocacy and environmental policy.

James consults for leaders in NGOs, the private sector and government on topics related to sustainable development and entrepreneurship. His work covers climate change policy, renewable energy and sustainable travel. He has particular expertise in small island developing states (SIDS).

Island Innovation runs two key events for island stakeholders; The Virtual Island Summit and the Island Finance Forum. With the growing importance of virtual events, James, and the team at Island Innovation, use their expertise to work with island governments, NGOs and businesses to execute and facilitate bespoke online programming.

James’ LinkedIn

In this episode, we speak with Dutch floating cities civil engineer and ‘maritime urbanism’ expert Rutger de Graaf-van Dinther, a pioneer and global leader of the seasteading community with more than 15 years of international experience in the fields of design, engineering, and policy for climate resilient floating urban development. He explains the origins of his work and lays out Blue 21’s mission to provide maritime urbanism technologies to the hundreds of millions of people who are already impacted by climate change and sea level rise, realizing that these breakthroughs need to happen during this century, while also achieving positive ecological and social impacts. Rutger lays out Blue 21’s multi sector approach to scaling the proven solution sets that will allow humanity to rely on floating cities as safe harbors during coastal storms, while establishing a new regenerative relationship with our ocean environments and providing valuable opportunities in the expanding global blue economy.

Please visit the episode 09 webpage to find additional links, references and background information.

GUEST BIO:
Rutger de Graaf-van Dinther
Co-Founder and Director of Blue 21

Rutger de Graaf-van Dinther is an entrepreneur with more than 15 years experience in climate resilient floating urban development. His mission is to provide floating city technology to hundreds of millions of people who are impacted by climate change and sealevel rise. This needs to happen during this century while achieving positive ecological and social impacts.

With his companies DeltaSync and Blue21, the first stepping stones towards this mission already have been achieved with iconic floating construction projects including the Floating Pavilion Rotterdam and Floating Ecohomes, Harnaschpolder Delft, the Netherlands. More recently, Blue21 was design and technology partner in realizing the Innozowa floating solar project in collaboration with TU Delft. Currently, Blue21 is working on upscaling and mainstreaming floating city technology from 'proof of technology' to 'proof of scale'. This will establish an entirely new field of expertise called 'maritime urbanism' to enable the development of floating neighborhoods and floating cities globally.

Trained as civil engineer with a MSc and PhD (both finished cum laude) of Delft University of Technology, he expanded his knowledge in various additional fields of expertise resulting in peer-reviewed scientific publications in the fields of technology, sustainability and social sciences. Rutger has been a consultant to the Dutch Delta Programme, Topsector Water, City of Rotterdam and international clients from other countries including Japan, China, South-Korea, Singapore, USA and various countries in Europe.

From 2011 to 2021, Rutger was applied research professor of water innovation at the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences. From 2010 to 2015 he was Editor of the Journal of Water and Climate Change of the International Water Association.

Rutger is (co) author of multiple international books, book chapters, and peer reviewed journal articles. He published together with Henk Ovink, the Special Envoy for Water of the Netherlands, about the "5 Capacities of Climate resilient Urban Areas". This framework was the foundation of the book Climate Resilient Urban Areas, published by Palgrave MacMillan in 2021. International media interviews include the New York Times, Financial Times, BBC World Radio, and Discovery Channel.

Rutger’s LinkedIn

In this episode, we enjoy an aspirational and philosophical chat with visionary French humanist, Frédéric Pons. Frédéric explains his inspiration, concept, and ongoing work toward realization of an ocean-based environmentally regenerative “Indigo Civilization”. The initiative envisions a reconstitution of humanity’s relationship with our fragile aquatic environs, supporting a philanthropic research and innovation cluster focused on the modeling of prototypes for floating, restorative, sustainable, multi-use, modular and inhabited marine ecosystems, beginning in French maritime jurisdictions, but intended to expand and codevelop shared benefits globally. Frédéric’s work is, in part, inspired by the work of The Seasteading Institute, highlighted by Joe Quirk in episode 02 of the Blue Economy Podcast.

Please visit the episode 08 webpage to find additional links, references and background information.

GUEST BIO:
FRÉDÉRIC PONS
Instigator and cofounder of the Indigo Civilization

Frédéric is a French humanist and visionary, who wishes to contribute to the realization of a better world. His rai·son d'ê·tre is to facilitate a harmonious combination of progress and aesthetics. During his 20-year professional path, he has developed and released innovative communication and marketing projects for many famous international brands.

After a significant personal life transition, Frédéric has dedicated part of his time and energy to support "The Indigo Civilization" project, which focuses on ecological restoration, economic growth and societal progress supported through the development of floating self-sufficient and value creating ecosystems and communities. The Indigo Civilization is a philanthropic initiative and foundation, featuring scientific and philosophical goals to create efficient solutions to tomorrow's environmental and societal challenges, and to reinvent a harmonious, mutually beneficial relationship between Man and the Ocean.

Frédéric’s small team of project collaborators includes engineers and ocean science experts from Japan, Singapore, and France, as well as Dutch floating cities architect Rutger de Graaf-van Dinther, who will be featured in upcoming episode 09 of the Blue Economy Primer.

Frédéric’s LinkedIn

In this episode, Kristi Trail, Executive Director of the nonprofit Pontchartrain Conservancy explains the complex history and importance of maintaining a healthy regional watershed for both economic development and quality of life purposes. We discuss her leadership in Southeast Louisiana’s struggle to protect and preserve our coastal and inland waters from the adverse effects of urbanization and climate change. She contextualizes the potential for emerging technologies to preserve the region’s natural beauty and way of life for future generations, and explains how some of the Conservancy's complimentary initiatives are working to build capacity with other education and research organizations (including local k-12 schools), helping stakeholders and decision makers to gain a better understanding about the environmental challenges the region’s future generations will face in the coming decades.

Please visit the episode 07 webpage to find additional links, references and background information.

GUEST BIO:
Kristi Trail
Executive Director; The Pontchartrain Conservancy

Ms. Trail is an experienced senior-level manager committed to community engagement, professionalism, accountability, and results. She leads with excellent interpersonal communication skills honed by collegial and supervisory roles in industry, non-profit organizations, and volunteer service. She possesses a deep understanding of scientific and technical environmental issues from decades of direct experience with field testing, laboratory analysis, reporting, risk assessment, and compliance matters with air, land, and water. She earned her BS and MS in Civil & Environmental Engineering at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. Kristi is responsible for all aspects of governance and day-to-day operations for the Pontchartrain Conservancy, including managing a $3.4 million budget, 14-member board of directors, 30 full- and part-time employees and contractors, and activities at two locations.

Prior to joining The Pontchartrain Conservancy, Ms. Trail worked as an engineer in various capacities in the energy sector and as a private consultant. She is active in the New Orleans community, serving on many non-profit boards including Parkway Partners, Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans, LSU Health Sciences Center Foundation, and the Audubon Area Zoning Association. She is also an active member of the Women’s Professional Council of New Orleans. Additionally, she is a graduate of the Loyola University Institute of Politics (2005) and the Institute of Environmental Communications (2005).

Kristi’s LinkedIn

In this episode, globally renowned strategic foresight specialist, journalist, and Reinvent Futures founder Peter Leyden takes a moment during his Mardi Gras visit to New Orleans to discuss his ‘positive future casting’ work and what he sees as emerging technology breakthroughs in the key fields of energy generation, biotech, and artificial intelligence. He draws on his early-career first hand experience as a oil rig roughneck in Louisiana, and as a young journalist in the deep south, to contextualize the potential for Louisiana to become a global driver of Blue Economy innovation.

Please visit the episode 06 webpage to find additional links, references and background information.

GUEST BIO:
Peter Leyden
Reinvent Future Founder

Peter Leyden has spent his career in a wide range of roles figuring out the future, explaining what’s probably coming next, and helping envision how we can build a better world. Since coming to San Francisco at the beginning of the digital revolution to work with the founders of WIRED magazine, he has become a thought leader on the future, new technologies and megatrends.

Leyden has given keynote talks for the last 25 years on roughly a monthly basis as a futurist and tech expert working through Keppler Speakers. He is the coauthor of two influential books on the future that were published in multiple languages, including The Long Boom, and he now writes popular online pieces like his latest The Great Progression: 2025 to 2050.

Leyden is the founder of Reinvent Futures where he works as an advisor taking what he knows about the future and giving strategic foresight to senior leaders of organizations. He’s also a longtime host of physical and virtual events that convene top innovators from diverse fields impacting the future, and in 2023 Reinvent Futures will launch The Great Progression series.

Leyden ended up as managing editor of WIRED magazine in the heyday of the 1990s and he subsequently founded two of his own media startups focused on the future. He learned the futures business working at the pioneering strategic foresight and scenario planning firm Global Business Network, with the legendary Stewart Brand.

He graduated summa sum laude at Georgetown University in Washington D. C. and has two master’s degrees from Columbia University in New York.

More at PeterLeyden.com

Peter’s LinkedIn

We mix it up with GNO Inc. President and CEO, Michael Hecht (a.k.a. DJ El Camino), about regional initiatives supporting the Blue Economy, Blue Tech, and resilient Gulf Coast communities. Michael explains the Greater New Orleans region’s Cha Cha style of economic development and innovation ecosystem development, grounded in a social equity and inclusivity agenda, powered by our exceptional creative culture heritage (with a bit of Lagniappe). Even in this complex age of climate crisis, all of the elements are in place for the Gulf Coast to make a great leap forward. We discuss how in the decades to come, the Louisiana Estuary can position itself to attract and cultivate an adaptive mix of talent, technology, and capital to preserve our homegrown Northern Caribbean character, while establishing global climate tech leadership and securing sustainable economic prosperity for our future generations.

Please visit the episode 05 webpage to find additional links, references and background information.

Before coming to GNO, Inc. Michael led the quarter-billion-dollar Katrina Small Business Recovery Program for the State. Previous to coming home to Louisiana, Michael worked for Mayor Michael Bloomberg in New York City, running the post-9/11 small business program.

Michael's entrepreneurial experience includes co-founding a conglomerate of restaurant ventures, including “Foreign Cinema,” named Restaurant of the Year 2000 in San Francisco. He began his career as a strategic management consultant in the US, Canada, Europe and Australia.

Michael holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business, and an undergraduate degree from Yale. Michael has been recognized as “One of the Ten People Who Made a Difference in the South,” “One of the 20 Business ‘Icons’ of the Tricentennial,” and “2018 CEO of the Year.”

With family roots in Louisiana back to the 1830s, Michael now lives in New Orleans with his wife, Marlene, who is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at Tulane, and their two teenaged sons.

Michael’s LinkedIn

AklysTransform Founder, Esmé Fantozzi, explains the critical importance, impacts, and processes of global energy transitions, drawing on her decades of global energy sector experience in supply chain, operational excellence, and sustainable energy transformations.

Please visit the episode 04 webpage to find additional links, references and background information.

Esmé is an energy transition leader with 25+ years of global experience in operational excellence, supply chain and sustainable transformations. She has led global teams and transformed the way of doing business in some of the most culturally diverse, complex, and challenging ventures in the energy industry.

Whether enhancing workforce welfare in a Middle Eastern country, leading the digital transformation of a 1200+ strong business unit in the US, or heading a project to generate the emissions reduction roadmap of a global business unit, Esmé consistently takes a system-approach that maximizes value across the business ecosystem to produce sustainable, long-lasting results.

Founder and principal of AklysTransform, her own consultancy focuses on energy transition leadership and business transformation. By blending her extensive experience of the energy industry with the use of powerful climate change simulators based on the best science, she helps her clients identify sustainable business opportunities, understand and mitigate transition risks, and generate credible roadmaps to net zero emissions.

Esmé’s LinkedIn

Gulf Wind Technology CEO, James Martin, discusses renewable energy and the climate tech innovation ecosystem in New Orleans, highlighting the initiatives and organizations that are leading the way towards a Blue Economy based energy transition.

Please visit the episode 03 webpage to find additional links, references and background information.

GUEST BIO:
James Martin
Founder & CEO; Gulf Wind Technology

James Martin is Founder and CEO of Gulf Wind Technology, based at the historic Avondale Shipyard in Louisiana. One of their established objectives is to develop and demonstrate technologies that will de-risk wind power in complex wind environments, through innovations in safety, rotor design, and system operation in peak wind events such as hurricanes. James moved from the UK to the US in 2010 to establish one of the worlds most advanced manufacturing and technology centers for wind turbine blades, based at the NASA campus in New Orleans. He has led innovation in the field of large rotors including development of industrialized high-throughput manufacturing-led-designs for both the onshore and offshore wind segments. James holds a degree in Design and Technology from the University of Plymouth and an MBA from the Freeman Business School at Tulane University.

James’ LinkedIn

Joe's LinkedIn

Deep Blue Academy (DBA) Executive Director, Greg Delaune, sets the stage for the scope and mission of DBA and the Blue Economy Primer podcast. In our first four episodes, we will meet and talk with local New Orleans, and global experts about specific Blue Technologies, as well as broader approaches for developing innovation ecosystems that support the design, development, deployment, and scaling of critical new technologies and solution sets. About 2.4 billion people, or 40% of our global population, lives within 100km of the coast. So in the coming decades, these solution sets will be critical to preserving the unique cultural identity, lifestyles, and economies of maritime cultures.

HOST BIO:
Greg Delaune
Founder and Executive Director; Deep Blue Academy

Greg is an internationally recognized consultant, teacher, speaker, and writer specializing in public-private partnerships (PPPs) for green, clean, and smart cities, regenerative floating cities, sustainable economic development, and innovation ecosystem design. He is Founder and Executive Director of Deep Blue Academy, Cofounder of Deep Blue Institute, and a board member for the New Orleans-based Data Center. He has over 20 years of international experience in economics, urban design, and regional planning policy, managing multidisciplinary teams in the formulation and execution of innovative development strategies, including applied research on integrated sustainability tools and techniques for emerging economies in peripheral Europe and Latin America (e.g. Italy, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay).

Please visit the episode 00 webpage to find additional links, references, and background information

Greg's LinkedIn