The largest cross‑national psychological survey of nature connectedness sampled about 57,000 people in 61 countries and found Nepalers are the most connected to nature while Britain ranks 55th. Led by Miles Richardson and published in Ambio, the study identifies spirituality as the strongest predictor of nature connection and links higher ease of doing business, urbanisation, income and internet use with weaker ties. Researchers note a weak relationship with environmental group membership and recommend policies that combine socioeconomic, biodiversity and “techno‑spiritual” approaches to rebuild human–nature ties.
Nepal Tops Global Survey on Nature Connectedness — Britain Near Bottom
The largest cross‑national psychological survey of nature connectedness sampled about 57,000 people in 61 countries and found Nepalers are the most connected to nature while Britain ranks 55th. Led by Miles Richardson and published in Ambio, the study identifies spirituality as the strongest predictor of nature connection and links higher ease of doing business, urbanisation, income and internet use with weaker ties. Researchers note a weak relationship with environmental group membership and recommend policies that combine socioeconomic, biodiversity and “techno‑spiritual” approaches to rebuild human–nature ties.
22:09, 02.11.2025Environment
Nepal tops international survey of how connected people feel to nature
A large international psychology survey of roughly 57,000 people across 61 countries finds that people in Nepal feel the strongest connection to the natural world, while residents of Britain rank near the bottom. The study, led by Miles Richardson of the University of Derby and published in the journal Ambio, explores how cultural, economic and geographic factors shape people's relationships with nature.
Study scope and ranking
The survey sampled about 57,000 participants across 61 nations and produced a cross‑national ranking of “nature connectedness.” Nepal ranked highest, followed by Iran, South Africa, Bangladesh and Nigeria. Britain placed 55th out of 61 countries. The final six nations on the list were the Netherlands, Canada, Germany, Israel, Japan and Spain.
Key predictors of nature connectedness
Researchers examined a wide range of national indicators and found several factors significantly associated with how connected people feel to nature:
- Spirituality: The strongest predictor. The authors define this as cultural tendencies for people to feel, think about and value their place within the living world.
- Economic structure: Higher scores on the World Bank’s “ease of doing business” index were associated with lower nature connectedness.
- Urbanisation, income and internet use: Greater urbanisation, higher mean income and more internet use tended to coincide with weaker connections to the natural world.
- Environmental organisation membership: Surprisingly, membership of environmental groups showed only a weak correlation with individual nature connectedness.
- Biodiversity and attitudes to technology: Levels of biodiversity and cultural attitudes toward technology were also linked to people’s reported nature connection.
Implications and recommendations
The authors argue that closing the human–nature gap will require policies that integrate socioeconomic planning, biodiversity conservation and what they term “techno‑spiritual” considerations. Practical measures suggested by the study include fostering sensory, spiritual and emotional engagement with nature across public life — for example in education, health services, housing and the arts — so that people can reconnect with the living world in everyday settings.
“For a renewed relationship with nature, structural socioeconomic systems and biodiversity efforts must align with ‘techno‑spiritual’ aspects,” the authors write.
Conclusion
This first large‑scale cross‑national study of nature connectedness highlights how cultural values and modern socioeconomic trends shape people's bonds with nature. Its findings offer policymakers practical levers — from spiritual and educational initiatives to urban and technology policy — to strengthen human–nature relationships and potentially support biodiversity protection.