Scientists 'must be allowed to cry' for nature's destruction

Environmental scientists must be "allowed to cry" over the loss of species and destruction of ecosystems and likewise be provided with the emotional support they need to work efficiently, researchers said.

In a letter published in the journal Science, the researchers underscored scientists are only given few opportunities to grieve over the environmental issues professionally.

Researchers underscored most scientists undergo "strong grief responses" to the ongoing ecological crisis. There are also higher risks of ignoring emotional trauma.

Tim Gordon, lead author of the letter and a marine biologist from the University of Exeter, said it is impossible to be emotionally detached when they document the destruction of the world's ecosystem. 

He added it hits them hard when they spend their lives studying the polar caps and Great Barrier Reef only to see them melt into the sea and bleach into the rubble fields, respectively.

The letter pointed out that there are organizational structures and proactive strategies to help other employees in other professions to anticipate and handle their emotional distress, unlike environmental scientists.

The researchers underscored the well-defined approaches for employees in handling their emotional distress, including training, debriefing, support, and counselling after disturbing events.

It continued by adding that it is "dangerously misguided" to assume that environmental scientists are dispassionate observers. It would still hit them when they deny, control, and neglect the degradation of the natural world due to the lack of such support.

Professor Andy Radford, Gordon's co-writer from the University of Bristol, added the emotional load on these kinds of investigations must not be undervalued.

The letter urged the academic institutions to provide support to environmental scientists and allow them to grieve and recover from traumatic events in order to find new insights about the environment.

Steve Simpson of the University of Exeter, also a co-writer of the letter, added environmental scientists must acknowledge, accept, and work through their emotions instead of ignoring or suppressing their grief and sorrow.

He added that environmental scientists could use grief to improve their resolve. They could further find ways to understand and protect ecosystems that could have a chance of survival in the rapidly changing world.

Gordon said they need to avoid being stuck in episodes of grief if the environmental scientists are serious in searching for anything for the future of the natural ecosystems.

The letter concludes by recommending better emotional support for environmental scientists to improve their ability to think creatively about the future.

"We need to allow ourselves to cry-and then see beyond our tears."

How grieving over ecological destruction can help face the climate crisis

Recognizing the growing emotional trauma and grief currently felt by the environmental scientists is what the public needed to limit their reach, researchers say.

Restraining oneself in grieving could explain why many people wanted to deny the ecological breakdown that human beings cause due to corruption and vested interests.

It needs maintained strength, attention, and action to slowly turn denial into acceptance, build a new life, and help the environmental scientists solve the climate crisis. The only cure from ecological grief is for human beings to change the world such that their actions no longer deteriorate the environment.