Britain has one of the weakest emotional connections to nature globally, ranking 55th out of 61 countries in a major international 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 the Netherlands, Canada, Germany, Israel, Japan and Spain.
Nature connectedness measures how closely people feel related to the natural world — a factor linked to wellbeing and pro-environmental behaviour. The study identified spirituality and faith as the strongest predictors of a close bond with nature, while higher levels of urbanisation, income, and internet use were associated with weaker connections.
Professor Miles Richardson of the University of Derby, who led the research, said Britain’s low ranking reflected its rational, technology-driven culture. “We’ve become a more economic and scientific society,” he said. “The challenge is reintegrating natural thinking into our modern world.”
He suggested that enhancing access to nature in healthcare, enshrining biodiversity in business decisions, and recognising the “rights of nature” in law could help rebuild connection.
The Church of England’s bishop for environmental affairs, Graham Usher, said: “What we notice, we begin to love; what we love, we come to treasure; and what we treasure, we want to protect. It all starts with helping children experience the natural world.”
