Story Advisory provides leading services across strategy, policy, evaluation, economics and investment design services focussed on our natural world. A selection of recent projects is provided below.

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Natural capital investment

Nature positive WA, WWF, 2025 – 26

Engaged to support the development of policy options for the WA Government that will activate a nature positive transition for extractive industries. 

South Coast NRM Natural Capital Approach, South Coast NRM, 2024 –

Engaged to provide strategic advice on opportunities to support the South Coast NRM’s natural capital investment ambitions for the region including funding and financing strategies for landscape investments in nature and climate outcomes for industry, conservation and community.

Biome strategy, Biome, 2026 –

Engaged to support the design of a new natural capital fund for a manager targeting nature-based projects in Western Australia. The fund is designed to be Indigenous led, and is chaired by Glen Kelly OAM.

Scoping nature-positive project funding and financing strategies, Private Client, 2024 – 26

Engaged to support a large multi-national corporate identify and develop a blended finance strategy targeting restoration and protection of nature and partnership with Traditional Owners across over 8 million hectares of land and water.

Emerging nature market analysis and strategy, Melbourne Water, 2024 – 26

Engaged to provide strategic advice on the opportunities, barriers and roles that Melbourne Water could take to engage with nature markets in its capacity as a CMA and as the responsible authority for waterways and drainage.

The value of reef restoration and adaptation activities for Queensland, Great Barrier Reef Foundation, 2024

Engaged to identify and assess the economic, social, cultural and environmental benefits of investment in coral reef restoration and adaptation. The analysis looked at the value of the on-land investment components, for example new aquaculture facilities, and the benefits for the community such as new job opportunities.

Independent review of private environmental market proposal to government, Confidential client, 2023 – 2024

Engaged to support a consortium develop an investment proposal for Australian Government investment in a new environmental market targeting the Great Barrier Reef. Proposal included consideration of the effectiveness and efficiency of environmental markets compared to other funding mechanisms, such as grants.

Opportunities to leverage environmental markets to deliver blended finance models, DCCEEW, 2023

Justin was asked by the Australian Government to lead a workshop to over 100 DCCEEW staff on global trends, strategies and case studies that leverage environmental markets to deliver large-scale nature-based projects. The primary interest for DCCEEW was the potential use cases for Australia’s Nature Repair Market – a new, national voluntary biodiversity market.

Blue Carbon Policy Review, DEECA (Vic), 2023

Engaged by DEECA to review opportunities and barriers to developing blue carbon protection and restoration in Victoria. The review delivered policy and non-policy options for government to incentivise investment in blue carbon projects across Victoria.

Legal and policy analysis of environmental markets, National Farmers’ Federation, 2021 - 23

Engaged to identify and assess policy and legal options to enhance the uptake of environmental markets by primary producers in Australia. The review included issues in farm business and asset valuation, income and capital gains taxation, privacy, export market access, drought assistance and other policy and legal issues and their effect on market participation.

Western Australia Carbon Farming and Land Restoration Program design and strategic advice, DPIRD (WA), 2020 – 23 

Engaged support the design of the program to better balance trade-offs across multiple environmental, social and strategic objectives. Subsequently engaged to develop project assessment metrics and tool to better account for the full social, cultural, economic and environmental project impact. Provide ongoing strategic advice and review on retainer.

National strategy to finance and fund coral reef restoration in the Seychelles, World Bank, 2020-22

Engaged to develop a national strategy to restore Seychelles’ coral reefs using blended finance and develop a strategic business case for investment. Financing strategy included consideration of global environmental markets, debt-for-nature swaps, green bonds, impact and philanthropic investment, levies, fees, new ventures and other conservation finance approaches.

Carbon Farming Roadmap for South Australia, PIRSA (SA), 2021-22

Engaged to develop South Australia’s Carbon Farming Roadmap as a key action under its climate change action plan. Provided a strategic review of the roadmap including ensuring the benefits, opportunities and challenges to carbon farming in South Australia are clearly articulated in addition to editorial and design services.

Agriculture, water, climate and regional development

Goldfields-Esperance Regional Drought Resilience Plan and Non-Potable water Demand Study, DPIRD (WA), 2024-

Engaged to deliver the plan for the one of the largest regions in Australia which provides a plan for water security solutions and drought preparedness for regional communities, primary industries and remote Aboriginal communities. Subsequently engaged to undertake a targeted study of non-potable water demands and supplies in support of the plan’s ambitions.

Western Australian Irrigated Agriculture Strategy, DPIRD (WA), 2023-25

Engaged to deliver a clear vision, strategic roadmap and investment prioritization framework for WA Government to work with industry to address challenges and leverage opportunities through to 2050.

Primary production system and supply chain resilience, DEECA (Vic), 2023-24

Engaged to deliver a detailed state-wide analysis of climate change risks and opportunities for Victoria’s primary production system and the actions that government can take to improve resilience.

Strategic advice to support government decision making to better account for sustainability outcomes, IWA (WA), 2024

Engaged to draft strategic policy advice to inform Infrastructure Western Australia’s advice to Treasury on options and approach to embed sustainability into government business case development and investment decision making.

Strategic advice to support Australian Climate Service’s role, activities and investment requirements in response to major government review, ACS, 2024

Engaged to provide key strategic approach to the development and communication of the value proposition for the ACS.

Development of national legislation and policy for the management of food and fibre, Private Client (Middle East), 2022-2024

Engaged to draft policy and legislative advice on leading approaches to establish a new food and fibre industry in the middle east.

Australian Cotton Strategic Roadmap, Cotton Australia, 2022-23

Engaged by Cotton Australia and industry partners the CRDC and Australian Cotton Shippers Association to develop a 10-year strategy for the Australian cotton industry targeting sustainably certified cotton, human rights, traceability, industry data and Australian cotton marketing that will ensure the competitiveness of the industry in the global marketplace.

Green Triangle strategic policy advice, Private Client, 2023

Engaged to provide analysis and strategic advice on the potential pathways for reform of water management arrangements in Lower Limestone Coast PWA, their implications for the agriculture sector and a government engagement strategy. 

Queensland Reef Water Quality Program MERI Development, DES (QLD), 2022

Engaged to evaluate the Queensland Reef Water Quality Program managed by the Office of the Great Barrier Reef (OGBR) and update the current monitoring, evaluation, reporting and improvement (MERI) framework for the next funding tranche.