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Reintegration Economy

An economy that stops consuming the nature it depends on and starts restoring it.

It stems from an idea by Pier Giovanni Capellino, has been adopted by Fondazione Capellino and is already being practised by a real business: Almo Nature.

The starting point.

The economy exists within society, and society exists within nature.

From this understanding comes a guiding principle, one we consciously choose:

human activity must not cause further biodiversity loss, and ecosystems we have degraded should be restored wherever possible.

Science informs this principle by providing evidence, but it does not determine our values. We make this choice democratically, guided by scientific understanding.

What changes in practice.

The Reintegration Economy changes how we evaluate companies, projects and policies.

Today, we often focus on how much has been produced, how much has been recycled, or how many hectares have been designated as protected.

The RE asks different questions:

  1. Which ecological relationships sustaining a river, soil or landscape have been disrupted?

  2. Have they been restored?

  3. Is the ecosystem functioning again?

The goal is not simply to plant another tree, but to understand what ecological purpose that tree serves.

A hospital can measure how many treatments it provides, but what ultimately matters is whether patients recover.

What is new.

The individual elements already exist; what is new is bringing them together into four interconnected principles.

01

Results are measured directly in the ecosystems where interventions take place and independently verified by third parties.

02

What is irreplaceable cannot be offset: protecting a forest in China cannot justify polluting a river in Italy.

03

Businesses contribute to biodiversity through a lasting commitment embedded in their governing documents. Almo Nature, donated to Fondazione Capellino in 2019, is projected to have transferred €98.5 million to the Foundation by the end of 2026.

04

The company is also committed to assessing and reducing the environmental impact of its products. Those proposing the model must demonstrate its effectiveness through action, not theory. Progress is evaluated on two timescales: the immediate results of human decisions and the longer-term ecological changes that unfold at nature's pace.

The RE also confronts a fundamental challenge: infinite growth is impossible on a planet with finite resources, including indefinite growth in the human population.

What we are doing.

We are advocating changes to European legislation while using our own resources to demonstrate how the model can work in practice.

The first phase, Nature Has No Borders, is already underway.

  1. It includes a European Citizens' Initiative, with signatures being collected until 14 October 2027, and a call for projects across nine countries to reconnect natural habitats fragmented by roads, dams and fences.

  2. The approach will then be extended to economic decision-making, beginning with an assessment of Almo Nature's environmental impact across its entire supply chain.

  3. Ultimately, the model will be made available for others to adopt.

Who is taking it forward.

The emerging Reintegration Economy Community brings together people and organizations who recognize the biosphere's limits as a guiding principle for their decisions and demonstrate that commitment through action.

The ultimate goal is cultural: to establish respect for all forms of life as a deeply held societal value, embraced voluntarily rather than imposed.

What remains open.

Many questions remain, and we acknowledge them openly: hypotheses that evidence may challenge or disprove, anticipated objections, and unresolved questions. This text sets out a direction, not a dogma.