SUSTAINABILITY & NATURAL CAPITAL

Beyond carbon.

In a world increasingly focused on environmental stewardship, the Sustainability & Natural Capital capability offers a pathway to integrate ecological responsibility with economic progress. This capability is built on services that provide a holistic view of the environment’s true value. Natural capital valuation and accounting serve as the starting point, quantifying the economic benefits of ecosystems and biodiversity, and embedding these figures into strategic decision-making. Environmental impact assessments (EIA) and life cycle assessments (LCA) rigorously evaluate the potential consequences of projects and products from inception to completion, ensuring that environmental costs are understood and managed.

Ecosystem services mapping and valuation further reveal the hidden benefits that nature provides, such as water purification and carbon sequestration. These insights inform more sustainable planning and policy development. Climate risk analysis and adaptation planning are critical components that anticipate the effects of a changing climate, guiding the design of strategies that reduce vulnerability and enhance resilience across operations and supply chains.

Sustainable finance structuring complements these assessments by aligning financial models with environmental and social goals. This ensures that investments are directed toward projects that not only yield economic returns but also contribute to long-term environmental health. Resource efficiency and circular economy strategies promote the smart use of materials and the reduction of waste, paving the way for regenerative practices that benefit both businesses and ecosystems. In parallel, regulatory and policy analysis for sustainability keeps organizations ahead of evolving legal frameworks, ensuring compliance and paving the way for proactive environmental stewardship.

A sustainability strategy and roadmap development process ties these elements together, setting measurable targets and outlining clear, actionable steps for embedding sustainability into business practices. Stakeholder engagement and community consultation ensure that environmental initiatives resonate with local needs and garner broad support, while biodiversity assessments and conservation planning safeguard vital natural habitats.

Carbon footprint analysis and reduction strategies provide specific, actionable insights to lower greenhouse gas emissions, and supply chain sustainability audits reinforce these efforts by ensuring responsible sourcing and ethical practices across operations. Sustainability reporting and disclosure then capture and communicate progress transparently, building trust with stakeholders and demonstrating commitment to long-term environmental goals.

Collectively, this suite of services empowers organizations to integrate sustainability into their core operations. The approach not only protects natural assets but also creates a competitive advantage in a market that increasingly values eco-friendly practices. By balancing economic and environmental imperatives, this capability helps ensure that development remains sustainable, resilient, and aligned with the growing global demand for responsible stewardship of natural resources.

Case Study: Towards net zero for Australian agriculture, fisheries and forestry

In the context of a global net zero transition, agriculture, fisheries and forestry is considered a difficult to abate sector. AgriFutures Australia engaged Acclimate Partners to assess the pathways available to the reduce the sector’s dependency on mineral diesel fuel – its primary source of energy and contributor to the sector’s emissions. In developing recommendations, we engaged broadly across stakeholders spanning producers, investors, policy makers, fuel suppliers, alternative energy companies, global equipment and machinery manufacturers, and research organisations.

Acclimate Partners produced the report, The Diesel Transition: Petroleum diesel alternatives for the Australian agriculture, fisheries and forestry sector, which recommended practical steps for a sector-scale transition. We were subsequently engaged to lead the development of the national diesel transition plan, advancing our research further and building practical place-based transition approaches to suit Australia’s diverse regional areas, farming systems, and community aspirations.

Read our report here.

Case study: Balancing environmental and economic interests in one of the world’s largest natural capital assets

The Lake Eyre Basin is of conservation significance on a world scale. It is one of the last water catchments around the globe to flow without interruption. Threats to the Basin and its waterways are from land-uses, pest plants and animals, and development.

The Australian Government engaged Alluvium Consulting and Acclimate Partners to develop the Lake Eyre Basin (LEB) strategic plan and governance arrangements. The plan establishes cross-border coordination for policy and program implementation, business investment, and the sustainability of the natural asset.

Engaging with key stakeholders, Acclimate Partners structured the strategy and conducted a review to align and integrate objectives of all Commonwealth and State Government strategies applicable to the environment and social context of the basin. We established governance for management of the natural asset in the context of a whole of government reform that impacted inter-governmental arrangements affecting how cross-border disputes could be managed.

The work drew on Acclimate Partners’ Placelink® methodology to enable greater harmonisation of public sector resources focused on the Lake Eyre Basin, maximising the impact of multiple programs and initiatives across the Basin jurisdictions and local government areas.

Managing intergovernmental agreement across four States and Territories required a robust approach to governance. The governance design developed by Acclimate Partners included options and a recommended model that fit the machinery of government changes following the COAG reforms and Conran Review.

As a result, communities and governments committed to collaborative, cross-border management of the LEB in response to threats to its waterways from certain land-uses, pest plants and animals, and development.