The company's goal is to plant 3 million trees in 10 years, absorbing about 200 thousand tons of CO2

Milan, 9 November 2020 - Arbolia is born, the new benefit company founded with the aim of creating green areas in Italian cities and territories to contribute to the improvement of air quality and the fight against climate change, generating opportunities for social and economic development. Arbolia was created within the framework of collaboration between Snam and the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti group for the development and implementation of projects to reduce and absorb CO₂ emissions.

Arbolia has the ambition of planting 3 million trees in Italy by 2030, allowing for the absorption of around 200,000 tons of CO₂ per year and supporting national forestry. The company responds to business' need to invest in actions of this type to reduce their carbon footprint as well as to the growing interest of citizens in environmental initiatives.

Leveraging on the skills and manufacturing capabilities of its promoters, Arbolia designs, promotes and implements afforestation and reforestation initiatives on land made available by the public administration and private individuals, through the financial support of companies and people who wish to contribute to safeguarding and improving the environment. Arbolia also takes on the obligations of care and maintenance of the trees for the first two years, relieving the public administration of the related burdens. Arbolia will promote dialogue between stakeholders on issues of national interest relating to the development and promotion of forestry activities. The company will also offer carbon footprint analysis services to companies and public administrations aimed at reducing CO₂ emissions, thanks to the synergy with TEP Energy Solution, a subsidiary of Snam which operates in the energy efficiency sector.

Forestry is essential to combatting climate change thanks to the ability of trees to extract CO₂ from the atmosphere. Added to this are the benefits trees offer in filtering pollutants (including particulate matter), decreasing local temperatures, contrasting hydrogeological instability and regulating water flows. Today in Italy there are 12 billion trees, 35% of which make up the country's forests. Thanks to afforestation activities, around 500,000 new trees could be planted each year, strengthening biodiversity and making the areas more livable and resilient.

Arbolia is a benefit company. This legal form, which Italy was amongst the first countries in the world to adopt, requires a company, in addition to its profit objectives, to create a positive impact on society and on the planet, balancing the interest of shareholders and those of the community.