As a social contribution commemorating the 90th anniversary of its founding, Daikin Industries, Ltd. is initiating Forests for the Air project in cooperation with Conservation International (hereinafter referred to as CI), an international nongovernmental organization, and the Shiretoko Nature Foundation (hereinafter referred to as the Shiretoko Foundation) to expand existing reforestation and forest conservation activities. Daikin has been involved in reforestation and forest conservation activities with CI in Indonesia since 2008 and with the Shiretoko Foundation on the Shiretoko Peninsula since 2011. On the occasion of its 90th anniversary, Daikin hopes to leverage the past success of its collaboration with these organizations and further expand activities worldwide.

This project is intended to provide conservation activities in seven locations linked to the future of air-nurturing forests, beginning with the world's largest class of primeval forests. Taking note of the Biodiversity Hotspots  and other critical forests of global importance for human well-being which CI considers to be important,  Daikin selected six locations where CI has programs underway focusing on mitigating climate change and preserving natural resources,  and another location where the Shiretoko Foundation is active. All are located in regions where Daikin has deep business ties. Daikin provides support that is unique to the circumstances of each region by working in close cooperation with NGOs producing beneficial results in countries around the world and in Japan and possessing the needed expertise.

Daikin has consistently aimed for both company growth and contribution to the environment and has actively worked to reduce CO2 emissions.  Within the increasingly expanding number of natural disasters and risks to food security caused by climate change and predictions for considerable impact to the human race, Daikin has been promoting in its business activities the mainstream use of inverter technology and the new refrigerant HFC32  to reduce emissions of CO2, which is a leading cause of climate change.

However, in many developing countries, the large part of CO2 emissions that had been stored in forests is being discharged into the atmosphere with the loss of forests. In this project, Daikin is working to curtail the loss of forests and reduce CO2 emissions by protecting and nurturing the remaining primeval forests. This conservation of approximately 11 million hectares in seven locations worldwide contributes to the reduction of more than 7 million tons of CO2 emissions.

In order to continually protect forests, support is essential from a comprehensive perspective that includes improving environmental awareness of the local residents living in the forests and establishing a local infrastructure. This project is not simply a matter of planting trees. Measures are also being implemented for sustainable agricultural support as a source of revenue that replaces activities leading to the destruction of the forests; environmental education for the local communities; management of illegal lumbering and poaching; and consensus building and training for all of these. Support is aimed at unifying the local residents and protecting the forests. In moving forward toward its 100th anniversary, Daikin hopes to preserve forests that mitigate the impact of global warming and forests that nourish clean air by a sustainable approach that is in step with the local residents and contributes to the global environment from both sides of business growth and contribution to society.