What ClimateWorks Australia does

Climateworks Centre (operating as ClimateWorks Australia) is an independent not-for-profit climate transition research and advisory organization, founded in 2009 and operating within Monash University in Melbourne. It produces evidence-based analysis, policy advice, and strategic frameworks for federal and state governments, institutional investors, and industrial sector clients across Australia and Southeast Asia, with named engagements including the Australian Treasury, the Climate Change Authority, Indonesian government bodies, and Australian superannuation funds. Its core programs include the Net Zero Industrial Precinct (NZIP) program, spatial land-use modeling developed in partnership with Deakin University, integrated economic-energy modeling adapted from International Energy Agency scenarios (in collaboration with CSIRO), and thematic analysis spanning cities, energy, food/land/ocean, industry, sustainable finance, and corporate transition planning.

The organization's technology stack is built around proprietary analytical frameworks rather than software products: economic-energy modeling enables projections of national energy transition pathways and costs, while spatial modeling supports integrated land-use management for biodiversity, emissions reduction, and agriculture. All research outputs (reports, policy briefs, spatial modeling results) are made publicly available through an open-access resource hub, with no commercial pricing.

Climateworks Centre is funded through research grants, government commissions, and philanthropic donations rather than equity investment or product sales. Disclosed funding rounds include grants from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (totaling roughly $2M between 2014-2021, with a largest single round of $1.5M in July 2021) and Australian Ethical Investment ($35,728 in November 2021). The organization is led by CEO Anna Skarbek AM, with former Chair John Thwaites (former Victorian Deputy Premier and Minister for the Environment) acting as a public-facing advisor. Headcount is in the 51-100 range, and the organization accepts donations via its website.

Name

ClimateWorks Australia

Legal name

Climateworks Centre

Website

https://climateworksaustralia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Climateworks Centre is an independent not-for-profit within Monash University that produces evidence-based climate transition research and policy advisory for governments, institutional investors, and industry across Australia and Southeast Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Climate Policy Research and Advisory Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Net-Zero Target Setting & SBTi/Net-Zero Standard Support (EUABAKAA)

Keywords

• Climate policy research
• Net zero advisory
• Decarbonisation analysis
• Climate transition planning
• Sustainable finance research

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Research Grants and Commissioned Analysis: ClimateWorks Centre operates as a not-for-profit within Monash University, funded through research grants, government commissions, and philanthropic support. The organization produces evidence-based analysis that informs national climate policy and corporate transition planning.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ClimateWorks Australia produces evidence-based climate transition research, policy analysis, and strategic advisory services to accelerate net zero emissions across Australia and Southeast Asia. Its work spans industrial decarbonisation frameworks (notably the NZIP program), integrated economic-energy modelling, spatial land-use analysis, and climate indices for investment, delivered as commissioned analysis and open-access publications to governments, superannuation funds, and corporate clients.

Product overview

ClimateWorks Centre operates as a research and advisory organization (independent not-for-profit within Monash University) that produces climate analysis, policy research, and strategic guidance rather than a unified software product. Its offerings span published reports, policy briefs, spatial modelling tools, and advisory programs across climate systems including cities, energy, industry, food/land/ocean, sustainable finance, and corporate transition planning. The core products are research publications and programmes (such as the Net Zero Industrial Precinct program and spatial land-use modelling) that provide evidence-based analysis to inform government and business decision-making on climate action.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Net Zero Industrial Precinct (NZIP) Program
• Spatial Land Use Modelling
• Climate Transition Planning Analysis
• Climateworks Annual Impact Report

Quantifiable outcome

• Directly informed Australia's 2035 emissions target with evidence that shaped national policy advice from Treasury and the Climate Change Authority

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered significant and core.

• CSIROsignificantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 August 2025ClimateWorks expertise is referenced in CSIRO research adapting International Energy Agency global scenarios for Australian context. The study projected that renewable energy will exceed 90% of Australia's electricity mix by 2030, with coal-fired generation capacity declining 85% by 2030.
• Monash UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimateWorks Centre operates as an independent centre within Monash University, leveraging the university's research capabilities while maintaining operational independence. This partnership provides academic credibility and access to research expertise, enabling the organization to bridge academic research with practical climate policy application.
• Deakin UniversitysignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for spatial modeling of land use in Australia. ClimateWorks Centre and Deakin University jointly developed spatial modeling capabilities to analyze optimal approaches for integrated land-use management, biodiversity restoration, and emissions reduction in the agricultural sector.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Climate Group: International climate NGO that works with governments and businesses to accelerate net-zero action, closely mirroring ClimateWorks' advisory-and-advocacy model across multiple geographies.
• CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project): Global disclosure system for environmental impact, providing climate data, scoring, and analytics used by investors and policymakers — directly comparable to ClimateWorks' corporate transition plan work for superannuation funds.
• South Pole: Climate advisory and solutions provider offering decarbonisation strategy, target-setting, and transition planning services to corporates and governments, overlapping directly with ClimateWorks' advisory offerings.
• Climate Analytics: Climate science and policy institute producing analysis on the 1.5°C limit, decarbonisation pathways, and just transition, operating as a non-profit research organization with strong parallels to ClimateWorks' mission.
• Beyond Zero Emissions: Australian not-for-profit research and advocacy organization developing sectoral decarbonisation plans, with deep overlap in industrial decarbonisation and Australian climate policy work.

Broad incumbents

• World Resources Institute (WRI): Global research organization producing datasets, frameworks, and policy analysis on climate and sustainability, operating at a much larger scale but covering similar advisory and target-setting territory.
• Climate-KIC: EU-backed innovation community focused on climate action through systems transformation, providing funding and capacity building that parallels ClimateWorks' mission across a broader set of programmes.

Emerging players

• Net Zero Tracker: Joint initiative tracking net-zero pledges and target quality across companies, governments, and financial institutions — comparable niche focus on transition plan analysis for ClimateWorks' financial sector work.
• Transition Zero: Climate analytics non-profit using data and modeling to identify decarbonisation opportunities for policymakers and investors, comparable to ClimateWorks' economic-energy modeling focus.

Regional players

• Australian Conservation Foundation: Australia's largest national environmental NGO, working on climate advocacy and policy across federal and state levels with overlapping stakeholder relationships in Australian climate policy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/climateworks-australia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ClimateWorks Australia