Carbon and nature-based solutions are imperative to driving sustainability-focused strategies globally.
It is critical to have a deep understanding of the policy drivers that underpin the carbon and nature regulatory frameworks and the risks and opportunities of carbon and nature markets to achieve successful decarbonisation strategies and nature-based solutions.
Our specialist Carbon and Natural Capital team works with clients to understand their business and develop and implement tailored decarbonisation strategies and nature-based solutions, including carbon and biodiversity offset portfolios. We assist clients in understanding the role of existing and emerging voluntary and mandatory carbon and nature-based markets, and help clients navigate carbon and nature-related regulation, policy and reform.
Global policymakers have set ambitious targets to curb climate change through an accelerated energy transition, increased decarbonisation targets and a focus on improving biodiversity and nature. This brings opportunities for growth and strategy re-alignment, particularly as decarbonisation strategies and nature-based solutions can be harnessed individually or synergistically to deliver economic, social and environmental benefits.
Our experience in navigating this dynamic landscape brings together our cross-disciplinary specialists who are at the forefront of these emerging issues. Our Carbon and Natural Capital team can help you with:
- voluntary and mandatory carbon and nature repair markets, including establishing projects and trading credits
- voluntary and mandatory carbon and nature-related reporting requirements
- decarbonisation and nature repair strategies, including carbon and biodiversity offset portfolios
- application of the Safeguard Mechanism and other decarbonisation and nature repair obligations
- development of carbon sequestration and nature repair projects, including projects with co-benefits
- target setting including ESG certifications
- land access, native title, indigenous land use and environmental regulation
- regulatory requirements such as AFSL requirements
- tax treatment and advice
Market highlights:
- Queensland Government: establishment of the government-owned $500M Land Restoration Fund, which expands carbon farming in Queensland by supporting land-sector carbon projects that deliver additional environmental, socio-economic and First Nations co-benefits.
- Confidential client: on establishing a nature fund aimed at partnering with a carbon abatement specialist, to identify land for purchase for reforestation projects aimed at generating ACCUs, including property acquisition due diligence and advice on ACCU generation under Australia’s carbon farming legislation.
- Confidential client: on the environmental regulatory landscape and upcoming reforms at an international, national and State level, including Australia’s ‘nature positive’ reforms, new nature repair market and changes to the ACCU Scheme, to inform a greenfield site business case.
- Emissions Reduction projects: on the eligibility of carbon capture and storage, soil carbon and beef cattle herd management projects for ACCUs under Australia’s carbon farming legislation and advice on ‘newness’ and ‘additionality’ issues for projects.
- NEOM: on the creation of new carbon regulations in a Saudi province, including benchmarking on international carbon regulations and preparing draft instructions to inform best practice regulations.
- Confidential client: on a long-term stapled carbon offset purchase arrangement to offset its portfolio emissions nationwide and in a Climate Active compliant manner.
- Global mining company: on a bespoke carbon unit funding and prepurchase structure for ACCU projects throughout Australia.
- ANZ: on the issuance of tokenised ACCUs as part of an RBA pilot project and assisting markets teams with ACCU products and settlement issues.
- Bank for International Settlements: on Genesis 2.0, a green bond project for the establishment of debt issuance programs paying carbon credits as coupon/principal to holders.
- International Bank Consortium: on the tokenisation and trading platform for voluntary carbon credits established as Carbon Place.
- BHP, Aula Energy and others: on biodiversity offset arrangements to satisfy approval conditions for resources and renewables projects.
- Major Australian airline: on carbon hedging and documentation.
- Australian blue-chip corporate: on abatement funding projects and retail rewards program for offsets.
- Australian Coal Association: on low emissions technologies and carbon capture and storage legislative developments at the Commonwealth and various State levels.
- Numerous confidential clients: facilitating strategy sessions on investment opportunities in carbon farming projects across Australia.
- Government client: 2022 review of Australian and international legislation and other regulatory instruments effecting the implementation of carbon capture use and storage in Australia.
