What is grief?

Loss is a part and parcel of life and grief is the emotional response that accompanies the loss of anything that we had a bond with and had held close to us. Loss can range from the loss of a loved one to the loss of a personal possession. Here, we will be discussing about the loss of the ecology.

What is ecological grief?

Ecological grief is the grief experienced in response to ecological-related losses. This form of grief affects those who work, live and have close cultural relations with the environment around them.

As ecological grief is not acknowledged by many, the loss of the ecology may not evoke the same emotional response as compared to experiencing the loss of a loved one, emphasizing the detachment between humans and nature. Aldo Leopold was one of the first to experience emotional pain brought about by the loss of the environment. He was an ecologist, a conservationist and was known as the father of wildlife ecology.

In the Anthropocene era, climate change-related disasters and ecological change will only be exacerbated as human activities continue, bringing ecological grief to those who have developed a bond and appreciation for their natural environment.

Ecological grief has been found to be associated with three conditions, physical ecological losses, loss of environmental knowledge and anticipated future losses.