Breaking the intergenerational cycle of extinction of experience: Actions needed and pathways forward

To halt and reverse the ongoing biodiversity crisis, substantial changes in human behaviour will be required. One important challenge in achieving such changes is the 'extinction of experience' - the progressive loss of direct human interactions with nature (hereafter 'personalised ecologies'). Diminished personalised ecologies can erode emotional ties to nature, weaken pro-conservation attitudes and reduce engagement in the diverse actions needed to support biodiversity. Although the extent of this decline has increasingly been documented, far less attention has been paid to the processes through which it unfolds over time, particularly across generations. In this Perspective, we examine how the extinction of experience may become entrenched within societies. We propose a conceptual framework, drawing on ideas from behavioural genetics, to explore how personalised ecologies could be transmitted across generations through genetic, environmental and interactive pathways. We then use this framework to consider why, once initiated, the extinction of experience may persist and intensify over time. Finally, we outline potential strategies to help disrupt this cycle of disconnection and to foster more positive, self-reinforcing trajectories of human-nature interactions. Achieving this will likely require coordinated efforts across sectors, including conservation organisations, education systems, urban planning and public health initiatives.