Britain has one of the weakest emotional connections to nature in the world, ranking 55th out of 61 countries in a global study of 57,000 people.
The research, published in Ambio, found that Nepal is the most nature-connected nation, followed by Iran, South Africa, Bangladesh, and Nigeria. At the bottom of the list were countries such as Japan, Spain, Germany, and Canada.
“Nature connectedness” measures how close people feel to the natural world and is linked to wellbeing and environmental action. Lead author Prof Miles Richardson of the University of Derby said Britain’s low ranking reflects its highly urbanised, business-driven, and technology-focused culture.
“We’ve become a more rational, economic and scientific society,” Richardson said. “That’s brought benefits but also a separation from nature. We need to make nature part of our wellbeing and even treat it as sacred.”
The study found strong ties between spirituality and nature connection, with more religious societies scoring higher. In contrast, high income, urbanisation, and internet use were linked to weaker bonds with nature.
Richardson suggested integrating natural environments into healthcare, legal rights for nature, and requiring businesses to consider biodiversity in decisions.
Graham Usher, bishop of Norwich, added: “What we notice we begin to love, and what we love we want to protect. It all starts with children.”
