Article: No-regrets decarbonisation: making smart bets for a low-carbon future

By Kirstin Crothers

Decarbonising wisely: The case for no-regrets strategies

For emissions-intensive businesses, the decarbonisation pathway is full of hard choices. Capital is tight. Technologies are evolving. And pressure is mounting—from regulators, customers, and financial markets alike. Yet amidst this complexity, industry leaders are building “no-regrets” strategies; investments that make operational and financial sense today, while positioning their businesses for a low-carbon future.

“Sustainability is a strategic imperative with tangible and broad financial implications,” says Anoop Thakur, General Manager - Procurement & Sustainability, Asia Pacific, Orora. “It should be viewed as an investment—returns may be uncertain and realised over varying timeframes.”

The key, says Thakur, is overcoming present bias: the tendency to prioritise short-term savings at the expense of long-term competitiveness. He urges businesses to align sustainability initiatives with capital investment cycles, evaluate abatement costs against internal carbon prices, and stay ahead of regulatory trends to avoid costly retrofits later.

Investing without overcommitting

Decarbonisation need not start with billion-dollar investments. For many, the most impactful steps lie in repurposing existing infrastructure or building flexibility into procurement and project planning.

“Balance sheet or net zero? Why not both,” asks Ameen Bou Diab, Lead Idea Validator at 11point2. “The fastest path to impact often lies in reimagining what’s already there.” From turning ageing assets into seaweed farms or low-carbon fuel hubs, to testing smaller-scale ideas that serve both short-term constraints and long-term goals, Bou Diab says industry should approach decarbonisation with creativity and agility.

At Vulcan Energy, sustainability is entrenched from the outset. “Organisations need to design projects with sustainability embedded throughout the entire process,” says Head of Sustainability, Samantha Langley. “Sustainability is not a trade-off between financial imperatives and decarbonisation goals – companies can have both.”

Langley points to Vulcan’s Lionheart Project, which co-produces renewable power, heat and lithium from a single geothermal source using existing technology. “Utilising a natural, integrated resource has the dual benefit of lowering the cost of production while also producing the best environmental outcome.”

Working together to manage risk

Decarbonisation doesn’t happen in a vacuum—and partnerships can reduce risk while helping to unlock funding, data, and policy certainty.

“With technology innovation across so many industrial applications at the same time as decarbonisation strategies are evolving, there is no way around it—investment decisions on net zero for big emitters are hard,” says Rebecca Irwin, Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Executive. “But we make hard investment decisions all the time, balancing risk and reward.”

Irwin believes that collective action is key. “Being able to take a whole-of-industry approach, not just a single business view, and partnering with others can be one way to get long-term investments off the ground whilst still managing short-term financial constraints.”

That view is shared by Sonia Fourie, GM - Environment & Sustainability at Jemena. “A key learning through this journey is that decarbonisation is a team sport. No organisation can achieve this on their own.”

Fourie highlights the role of cross-industry collaboration in achieving strategic alignment on issues like the future role of gas and renewable alternatives. “Integrating an emissions reduction framework that includes avoidance, reduction and substitution focuses attention on decarbonisation during organisational decision-making.”

Building for tomorrow, starting today

Some investments pay off sooner than others. The trick is to balance low-risk wins with future-focused bets—and ensure they’re supported by solid data and internal alignment.

At Linfox, early investment in fleet electrification has delivered not only emissions reductions, but operational insights that guide better procurement decisions. “That foresight, supported by a clear decarbonisation vision, means we can now charge our vehicles onsite while trailers are being loaded,” says Ruby Diaz, Manager Environmental Sustainability. “It is an operational advantage that strengthens the business case for electrification.”

“Future-proofing our 5 GreenStar facilities before we had a zero-emissions fleet required belief and strategic clarity. But that investment is now paying off.”

Team Global Express took a similar approach, combining targeted infrastructure investment with government funding. “It’s more than just an electric truck fleet — we’ve taken a whole-of-depot approach to energy management,” says ESG Project Manager Summer Steward. “By integrating a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), we’re able to charge during low-cost daytime periods and discharge during peak demand, delivering significant operational savings.”

For organisations just beginning the journey, practical and cost-neutral programs can be a powerful first step. “Balancing short-term costs with long-term sustainability doesn’t always mean a big upfront spend,” says Shayna Jones, Product Stewardship Manager at Big Bag Recovery. “Starting with practical, visible wins like recycling programs can ease pressure on end users while improving supply chain impact.”

Clarity creates momentum

Where strategy leads, investment follows. For heavy industry, a clear and data-driven approach helps decarbonisation stay on track—even in the face of conflicting priorities.

“Understanding our organisation’s emissions provides the insights and data needed to develop strategies to decarbonise over time,” says Hilary Newstead, General Manager - Energy Markets, GFG Alliance/SIMEC Energy. “Clarity around the strategy then allows management to build plans, budgets and capital investment to achieve the strategy in short, medium and long term milestones.”

In the steel sector, that means prioritising initiatives with operational upside, like process efficiency and renewable electricity sourcing. “Procurement policies seeking to gradually move to electricity from renewable sources… would be a practical short-term milestone with no extra capital investment.”

Renewable gas gains traction

For sectors requiring high heat or continuous energy supply, biomethane offers a pragmatic and increasingly supported solution.

“Biomethane… provides an effective and immediate pathway to reduce emissions while maintaining operational continuity,” says Joe Oliver, Managing Director of Delorean Corporation. “Produced from organic waste diverted from landfill, biomethane can be seamlessly integrated into existing infrastructure without costly equipment changes.”

Oliver notes strong policy momentum in Australia, with regulatory changes supporting market recognition and pricing of renewable gas. “For hard-to-abate sectors, biomethane is a ‘no regrets’ strategy, reducing emissions while enabling up to 6 revenue streams.”

Final word

The path to net zero is long and complex, but inaction is no longer the safer option. Organisations that can blend strategic clarity with investment pragmatism, collaborate across sectors, and act early—without overreaching—will be best placed to thrive in a low-carbon economy.

As Shayna Jones puts it: “Inaction today is far more likely to lead to regret tomorrow.”

Hear more from the decarbonisation practitioners in this story and other expert speakers at Industrial Net Zero 2025 in Sydney, 16-18 September. Learn more.