An international team of researchers, led by the University of Oxford (United Kingdom) and with the participation of the Argentine scientist Sandra Díaz (CONICET), presented an innovative proposal: the creation of the Nature Relationship Index (NRI), a new metric to evaluate the quality of the relationships between human societies and the natural environment.
The proposal was published this Monday in the journal Nature and is supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which will incorporate the NRI as part of its Human Development Report 2026, complementing traditional indicators such as health, education, and income with a new dimension: the relationship between people and nature.
“The idea is to monitor how countries are improving their relationship with the living world”, explained Sandra Díaz, a researcher at CONICET in the Multidisciplinary Institute of Plant Biology (IMBIV, CONICET-UNC).
Three dimensions for a transformative metric
The Nature Relationship Index (NRI) is based on three key axes:
- Access and prosperity of nature: extent and accessibility of natural spaces.
- Careful use of resources: intensity of consumption and degree of environmental impact.
- Protection commitments: legal and institutional frameworks to safeguard ecosystems.
Unlike indicators that measure biodiversity or environmental health, the NRI directly evaluates human actions, proposing a proactive and transformative approach.
“It does not measure how nature is in the presence of humans, but what we do to build a healthy relationship with it”, clarified Díaz.
An “aspirational” tool for new narratives
Instead of highlighting what countries are doing wrong, the NRI seeks to promote stories of improvement, collaboration, and innovation, fostering a narrative that promotes positive relationships between societies and nature.
“We call our approach ‘aspirational’ because it emphasizes human capabilities to do things better”, emphasized Díaz. The index aims to inspire public policies, citizen actions, and multisectoral partnerships that restore and strengthen healthy connections with the living environment.
Professor Erle Ellis, the study’s lead author and a member of the University of Maryland and the Oxford Martin School, emphasized that this new approach has the potential to expand human development towards a prosperous coexistence with all life on Earth.
Towards a future where people and nature thrive
The NRI aims to become a tool for periodic evaluation by country, similar to the Human Development Index. It will make visible and reward investments in ecological restoration, air and water quality, equitable access to green spaces, and strong regulatory frameworks.
With this proposal, the team of scientists seeks to redefine progress, not only based on human well-being but also on the type of relationship we maintain with the ecosystems that sustain life.
