Britain has one of the weakest emotional connections to nature in the world, ranking 55th out of 61 countries in the first global study of how people relate to the natural world.
The research, involving 57,000 participants across six continents, found that Nepal tops the list for “nature connectedness,” followed by Iran, South Africa, Bangladesh, and Nigeria. At the bottom were Spain, Japan, Israel, Germany, Canada, and the UK.
Published in Ambio, the study links high levels of spirituality and religious belief to a stronger bond with nature, while countries with greater urbanisation, income, internet use, and a strong focus on business ranked lower.
Lead author Miles Richardson, professor at the University of Derby, said the UK’s low position reflects its “rational, economic and scientific society,” which often sidelines emotional and cultural ties to nature.
“Nature connectedness is not just about what we do, but how we feel and value our place in the living world,” he said. “We need to make nature part of our wellbeing and decision-making — to treat it as a stakeholder, not just a resource.”
Richardson suggested integrating nature into healthcare, urban planning, and corporate governance to rebuild this lost connection.
Graham Usher, the bishop of Norwich, said: “What we notice, we begin to love; what we love, we want to protect. It all starts with helping children experience nature.”
