Britain is one of the least “nature-connected” countries in the world, ranking 55th out of 61 nations in a global study examining how people relate to the natural world.
The research, published in Ambio, surveyed 57,000 people and found that Nepal is the most nature-connected nation, followed by Iran, South Africa, Bangladesh and Nigeria. At the bottom of the list are the Netherlands, Canada, Germany, Israel, Japan and Spain.
Led by Prof. Miles Richardson of the University of Derby, the study found that a country’s spiritual and religious values were the strongest predictors of closeness to nature, while business-oriented, high-income, and urbanised societies tended to feel more disconnected.
“Nature connectedness is not just about what we do, but how we feel and value our place in the living world,” said Richardson. He noted that Britain’s highly technological and economic focus has distanced people from nature.
The researchers suggested that bringing nature into healthcare, business decisions, and urban design could help rebuild that connection. Bishop Graham Usher, the Church of England’s lead on environmental affairs, added: “What we notice, we come to love — and what we love, we want to protect.”
