Short and sharp explorations of strategic issues to inform policy and strategy development for government, the private sector and not-for-profits.

Leveraging broad national and international networks and our clients’ own stakeholders as well as publicly available information, we provide new knowledge on key decarbonisation issues.

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) in Australia (2022) (confidential client)

In 2021 the Australian federal Government’s Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) adopted a new methodology to create carbon offset credits from carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects, and the Australian Government released five areas for greenhouse gas storage exploration offshore of the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

Drawing on 10 stakeholder interviews and desktop research, this report explores the implications of these two developments, considering issues such as:

• • the structure and function of the ERF and Australian carbon market, including changes to contracting requirements
  • regulation of the CCS method
  • the offshore greenhouse gas storage regulation framework
  • specific issues in relation to the 2021 Greenhouse Gas Acreage Release
  • key stakeholders
  • the implications of the recent change of the Australian Government.

Stimulating demand for green iron and steel in Japan and South Korea (2022) (confidential client)

Stimulating the demand for green iron and steel is a key requirement for accelerating a transition to green iron and steel globally, as well as creating the necessary conditions that could create a market for a potential Australian green iron or steel product.

This project, drawing on 10+ stakeholder interviews across Australia, Japan and South Korea provided an overview of the key challenges to establishing a green iron or steel industry in Australia, and opportunities to overcome these, with a focus on the potential role of the iron ore majors.

South Australia –Green Steel and Clean Energy Leadership Case Study (July 2024) (WWF-Australia)

Leveraging its competitive advantage of a world-leading combination of solar and wind resources, which had already underpinned an astonishing energy transformation over the preceding two decades, and building on its legacy of climate change and clean energy leadership, South Australia  has now positioned itself to be a leader in the race to attract international investment in renewable energy, green hydrogen and low carbon export industries such as green iron and steel.

Based on 10 stakeholder interviews with key stakeholders in South Australian government and national and international industry representatives, and desktop research, this case study identifies the key activities that the State Government has undertaken in its leadership journey. It outlines the development of the South Australian government’s legislative and policy landscape, funding programs and investments since the early 2000s. It also considered the investment attraction activities underway to leverage these activities to attract foreign direct investment in new, low carbon economy projects.

As Australia grapples with the imperative to fast track its transformation to a low carbon economy, the South Australian approach can provide a template for driving, enabling and de-risking large scale infrastructure investments as part of a program of low carbon economic transformation that should be considered by State, Territory and Federal governments across a range of sectors.

Effective strategy development requires deep knowledge of a system from different perspectives and iteration of ideas as new information emerges.

Leveraging broad national and international networks and our clients’ own stakeholders, as well as publicly available information, we consider decarbonisation challenges and opportunities through technology, policy and regulatory, commercial and social licenses lenses.

Our deep dives iterate concepts and insights with our clients and stakeholders to form new understandings of how to create change.

“Green” Steel – Opportunities for the Australian Iron Ore Supply Chain (2022) (confidential client)

Steel is the second-most polluting industrial material in the world after cement, responsible for 7-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. It is the world’s second largest commodity value chain after crude oil. While Australia itself produces only around 0.3% of the world’s steel output, it is one of the biggest exporters of raw materials for steel production.

Key iron ore export destination countries China, Korea and Japan have committed to net zero greenhouse gas reduction targets. The shift to net zero targets, especially in these countries, is seen by iron ore and steel industry stakeholders as a key risk to business as usual with uncertainty around the timing and impact.

Drawing on both desktop research and 20 stakeholder interviews across industry, academia, the Western Australian State government and NGOs, this report identified the potential role for Australia’s iron ore majors in the global effort to decarbonise steel production and identified understand what research, policy, regulatory, commercial, and other activities would position Australia to host (i) a ‘green steel’ (or iron) making facility in the near term and (ii) accelerate the growth of a green steel industry in Australia in the longer term.

Carbon Farming Market Opportunity (confidential client)

The Australian Federal Government’s Emissions Reductions Fund (ERF), which was created by the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act (Cwth) 2011 (the CFI Act) currently represents the largest commercial opportunity for carbon farming activities in Australia. The CFI Act sets out the regulatory framework for the creation of carbon offset credits, referred to as “Australian Carbon Credit Units” (ACCUs).

The creation of land-based carbon offset credits creates both the opportunity for significant positive economic, social and environmental benefits (co-benefits) and, conversely, those for perverse outcomes (dis-benefits).

This project considered the potential to develop a new carbon farming enterprise, leveraging existing carbon markets, and focussed on ecosystem restoration and Indigenous land management. This report provided background information and market intelligence including:

• • Australia’s carbon framing policy and regulation framework
  • carbon offset credit standards and methodologies
  • typical project development processes and requirements including barriers such as land tenure, seed supply and social license
  • emerging demand volumes; supply side constraints
  • pricing
  • current projects and market potential
  • co-benefits
  • key market participants
  • new methods (then) under development
  • potential business models.

International methane mitigation frameworks, policies and initiatives (with Plexus Strategy) (2024)

About 45% of today’s net global warming is driven by methane emissions from human activities, making methane is the second largest contributor to global warming after carbon dioxide.

Over a 20-year period, methane traps 85 times more heat than the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide and more than 28 times over a 100-year period.

Reducing methane emissions is crucial for achieving near-term climate goals; cutting methane emissions by half over the next decade could lower global temperatures by up to 0.3°C by 2040.

Methane emissions from the energy sector— coal, oil and gas production —should be reduced by at least 63% by 2030 from 2020 levels to be consistent with global modelled pathways that limit warming to 1.5°C with no or limited overshoot as assessed by the IPCC’s 6th Assessment Report.

Australia has signed the Global Methane Pledge to cut global methane pollution by at least 30 percent by 2030 but has no published implementation plan nor any associated methane targets. State and Territories, which regulate project level methane emissions for coal, oil and gas, similarly have policy and regulatory environments inconsistent with the Paris Agreement target.

Focusing on methane emissions from fossil fuels, this report drew on 60 stakeholder interviews with national and international stakeholders, and desktop research, to identify key initiatives and activities underway globally and consider their potential application in an Australian context.

(Long term Consulting, embedded contracting, project support and retainer)

Sometimes you need to go big. Designing and implementing new policies or programs that create lasting change means working with a range of stakeholders and processes, which are not always apparent at the start of the journey.

Drawing on her experience designing and delivering Western Power’s first stand-alone power systems pilot, which required years of internal project work and advocacy followed by extensive external engagement across both State Government and regional communities, Tristy has successfully designed and implemented subsequent large-scale policies and programs, working with internal teams and other consultants.

Key activities include: understanding the policy or program objectives and options for achieving these; looking to other jurisdictions for design precedent and connecting with stakeholders to obtain “lessons learned” and other delivery insights; working with internal and external stakeholders to understand where support and opposition lie; genuinely understanding concerns and working to mitigate these where possible; understanding private sector and government internal processes and requirements; and thinking ahead to approval and implementation for hidden potential blocks in process or people.

Eligible Interest Holder (EIH) consent for Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) projects on pastoral lease land (2019 – 2020) Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD)

As an embedded contractor in the role of Manager, Carbon Farming for the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), Tristy led a small team to resolve complex and contentious issues in relation to Western Australian State Government’s proposed provision of Eligible Interest Holder (EIH) consent for Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) carbon farming projects on pastoral lease land.

In addition to chairing and managing a cross-agency Working Group which had to reach consensus on key policy positions, Tristy and the team worked closely with the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage and diverse external stakeholders including Carbon Market Institute, Chamber of Minerals and Energy, the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies, and the Pastoralists and Grazers’ Association to develop the EIH consent approval process.

Carbon Farming and Land Restoration Program (AUD$15 million over 3 years) (2020 – 2021) Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD)

As an embedded contractor in the role of Manager, Carbon Farming for the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), Tristy led design, development and early-stage delivery of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s $15 million Carbon Farming and Land Restoration Fund, managing a small team to create a program that met environmental, legal, regulatory, commercial and political requirements.

Inspired by the Queensland Government’s Land Restoration Fund and recognising the similar challenges in creating public goods (e.g. biodiversity conservation, landscape restoration, First Nations opportunities) from private sector carbon farming activities, Tristy initiated this program within DPIRD and socialised it across other relevant agencies (DWER, DPLH, Treasury), undertook extensive stakeholder engagement and design consultation and successfully navigated its approval through Cabinet and the Expenditure Review Committee.

Private philanthropy advisory (2022 – )

Tristy provides strategy advisory, project ideation and management for private philanthropic organisations.

Project support

An experienced chair and facilitator, Low Carbon Australia has supported multiple decarbonisation initiatives through playing a project coordination role (long term) or providing facilitation services (one off / series of workshops).