We know how to mourn other humans – but what about ecological grief?

Iceland recently honored its first glacier officially declared lost to climate change, highlighting a growing recognition of ecological grief. This cultural shift mirrors the deep emotional responses scientists experience when witnessing the loss of individual species, like the North Atlantic right whale, to human-induced environmental changes. As societies grapple with the tangible impacts of climate change, developing rituals to mourn these losses could foster greater empathy and urgency in addressing environmental degradation. Such acknowledgments are crucial for galvanizing collective action against ecological destruction.