The study " Italian companies and the role of natural capital protection in the fight against climate change" was promoted by the Global Compact Network Italy, in collaboration with The European House - Ambrosetti and Ca' Foscari University of Venice and previewed at COP30 during an international launch event inside the Italian Pavilion.
The research, which analyses 169 large Italian companies obliged to report on sustainability starting from the fiscal year 2024 (excluding banks and insurance companies), involved 115 companies belonging to the Network, and aims to offer a snapshot of the commitment of Italian companies in the fight against climate change, starting from the protection of natural capital and the conservation of biodiversity, analysing tools, methodologies and the level of integration of these issues in company strategies.
The results highlight two main messages:
- the first is that the relationship between climate change and the loss of natural capital and biodiversity is now widely recognized by the business community. 77% of companies identify climate change as the main factor driving ecosystem degradation, while 82% acknowledge the strategic value of nature-based solutions for reducing emissions and enhancing environmental resilience;
- the second message concerns the leadership role of large companies in managing natural capital: about half have already implemented concrete measures, compared to 44% of medium-sized and 29% of small enterprises. However, most sectors still show a higher level of dependence on ecosystem services than the positive impacts they generate, revealing the need to shift from a defensive approach to a nature-positive one capable of creating shared value across the entire value chain.
