Selected Case Studies

Aton Consulting (as part of a multi-expert team led by the Balmoral Group) worked on the preparation of a report for the GRDC titled “Enhancing biodiversity and natural capital valuation within the Australian Grains industry”.  ATON contributed in the preparation of the literature review, co-coordinating and conducting interviews with stakeholders and contributing to the final report and presentation.

GrainGrowers partnered with Aton Consulting to deliver a comprehensive review of environmental legislation shaping Australia’s grains industry. The report goes beyond compliance — it evaluates how effectively existing laws achieve their intended outcomes and what that means for growers on the ground.

Drawing on insights from industry stakeholders and an in-depth analysis of more than 60 pieces of Commonwealth and State environmental legislation, Aton Consulting assessed each law’s relevance, regulatory burden, and benefits to grain producers. The result is a powerful, evidence-based resource designed to help GrainGrowers champion smarter, more efficient environmental policy for the industry’s future.

Aton Consulting conducted detailed due diligence on a series of land acquisitions for a fund looking to invest into rural properties for the purpose of generating Biodiversity Credits.

In 2024 Dr Martin contributed to a report as part of the Living Skins Project.  Undertaken in conjunction with  by the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and the Australian National University,  this work resulted in a report that “assessed Natural capital for rangelands livestock producers”. The report provides an overview of key considerations in undertaking Natural Capital Accounting and recommendations in the development and implementation of natural capital accounting frameworks specifically in application for the rangelands.

The ATON team under took a review and delivered a discussion paper on exisiting marine environmental markets and the opportunities these may provide in Australian marine ecosystems.

Dr Stuart was contracted to the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney to work in the team reviewing the ACT Governments legislation around Biodiversity offsetting. Work on this project included reviewing existing legislation around Australia and internationally, understanding the ACT Governments current and past approach to biodiversity offsetting and developing recommendations for future legislation.

Aton Consulting has conducted a series of projects on retainer with the NSW Department of Environment, based around the developing markets for biodiversity, implementation of natural capital accounting, and environmental finance more generally.  

Grains Research Development Corporation (GRDC) engaged Aton Consulting to advise on the development of a multi-year research strategy regarding the impact of environmental markets on the Australian Grains Industry. 

Waterstart is a US based water industry funded venture capital group, focused on bringing water related startups through the development cycle to the stage where they can deliver products at the industrial scale required for the water supply industry.  Waterstart engaged Aton Consulting to provide strategic review and assistance regarding the launch of their operations in Australia.

Engaged in 2018 on a strategy consulting project with the CSIRO Digiscape Future Science Platform, to identify and scope market opportunities for land sector carbon projects, and to assist the CSIRO research team develop an appropriate research agenda and in particular identify how CSIRO developed decision support tools may have a commercially viable role.

Aton Consulting was retained by the Clean Energy Derivatives Corporation to head the electricity market research and modelling team and produce research reports for investors about trends in the Australian electricity markets.  We also provided the commercial lead for negotiation of forward contract pricing with market counter-parties to the CEDC.

Dr Karl was engaged on retainer 2000-2004 as AFMA's first "environmental markets" policy officer.  Dr Karl led the development of the first market standard documentation for trading renewable energy and carbon credits in Australia, the launch of the first pricing data systems (the AFMA Environmental Products revaluation curve), and was the lead author on AFMA's submissions to federal and state governments around the many issues arising from the design and implementation of carbon, renewables and other environmental markets in Australia.