Why We Don’t Care About Losing Nature — and Ourselves
- Ana Petriashvili
- Sep 28
- 4 min read
Rising temperatures, water and food shortages, wildfires, floods, loss of biodiversity… this is just a short list of the challenges we face today. The world is talking about climate change. Scientists have proven that human activity has warmed our planet to a point where reversing it feels nearly impossible. Yet somehow, despite this overwhelming evidence, we hesitate to act.
So, where’s the disconnect? Why is there such inaction?
Jeff Goodell, an American author of several books on the environment, offers an insight:
“To understand the paradox of our inactivity in this outward-facing, global-scale problem of climate change we need to look inward, at how our brains work. Within these insights lies potential for change, and some cause for hope.”
Perhaps addressing the climate crisis, which is now far more personal than distant, requires looking inside ourselves. We need to understand how our minds work and, importantly, what values guide our choices. What makes us freeze instead of act in the face of a crisis that could determine our survival? And if climate change impacts us physically and mentally, can insights from psychology and social values help us respond better?
In this post, we’ll explore one key reason for the gap between awareness and action — and uncover why so many of us struggle to adopt environmentally friendly behaviors.
Can Our Values Explain Our Inaction Towards Nature?
To tackle climate change both individually and systemically, we must rethink our consciousness and examine the value systems that shape us. For most people, these values tell us that humans are separate from and superior to nature. This mindset is deeply ingrained.
Researchers have studied why environmental inaction persists. One important finding lies in the concept of biospheric values — a value orientation where people judge actions based on costs or benefits to ecosystems, or to the natural world itself.
In environmental psychology, three value orientations shape behavior:
Egoistic values — decisions based on personal gain.
Altruistic values — concern for the welfare of other humans (e.g., a nation or community).
Biospheric values — evaluating actions based on their impact on nature.
Values, broadly, are guiding principles that shape how we see ourselves and what we consider important. They influence our self-identity and motivate behavior.
Studies show that individuals with strong biospheric values see themselves as environmentally friendly and are more likely to act accordingly. These people tend to support climate policies, choose sustainable consumption, and engage in environmental
activism.
Why Values Matter for Climate Action and Nature Protection
Human values guide how we evaluate information and experiences. For those with strong biospheric values, climate change feels personally relevant and threatening — because environmental protection is central to their goals. Those without strong biospheric values, in contrast, may see climate change as distant or irrelevant.
The result? A striking difference in environmental action.
How Society Shapes Our Values Towards Nature
Our values don’t form in isolation. They are shaped by environmental conditions, social learning, and cultural influences.
Research suggests differences between:
Individualistic societies, which emphasize self-reliance and personal choice, and
Collectivistic societies, which prioritize group harmony and shared values.
These cultural differences influence whether biospheric values translate into climate action. For example, self-transcendent and biospheric values predict pro-environmental behavior more strongly in individualistic societies.
Economic conditions matter too. In wealthier societies, individuals have more freedom to form their own opinions, while in less affluent contexts people rely more heavily on group norms and shared values.
How to Develop Biospheric Values
Can we nurture biospheric values in ourselves and others? Research suggests that the answer is yes, and that developing these values depends on a combination of internal psychological factors, social influences, and environmental conditions.
One of the most powerful drivers is a sense of connectedness to nature — feeling that nature is part of who we are. This isn’t just about enjoying the outdoors; it’s about integrating nature into our self-identity. Studies show that people with a stronger connection to nature tend to develop stronger biospheric values, which in turn inspire more sustainable behavior.
Here are some key factors to developing biospheric values:
Experiences with nature - Direct contact with the natural world, spending time outdoors, noticing nature, or growing up with nature as part of everyday life helps foster connectedness.
Family values, social norms, and culture - Values are shaped by the people around us. Communities that value nature create an environment where biospheric values are more likely to form.
Knowledge and environmental education Understanding ecosystems and the risks of environmental damage can give people the cognitive basis to care deeply about the biosphere.
This is more than just an academic insight — it’s a call to rethink how we live, how we teach our children, and how societies structure their values. If we want to close the gap between knowing and acting, understanding biospheric values might be one of the most important steps.
Leave your thoughts in the comments. What do you think are the causes of the climate crisis, and where do you see the roots of human inaction?
Cover photo: Guillaume Pépy, Aoteraoa - Les naufragés, 2013
The information presented this blog-post is based on research. Key references include:
Martin, P. (2017). Where do biospheric values come from? A connectedness to nature perspective. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 51, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2017.03.005
Martin, C. (2023). Biospheric values as predictor of climate change risk perception: A multinational investigation. Risk Analysis, 43(9), 1855–1870. https://doi.org/10.1111/risa.14083
New Zero World (2024) A New Era in Climate Communications. https://climatecommunications.earth/whitepaper/
Van der Werff, E., Steg, L., & Keizer, K. (2013). The value of environmental self-identity: The relationship between biospheric values, environmental self-identity and environmental preferences, intentions and behaviour. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 36, 39–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2013.07.003
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