(Photo: Aile Javo) Mattias Åhrén, the Saami Council representative to the Arctic Council Ministerial meeting this week in Tromsø made a strong statement regarding the impact of national climate change policies on reindeer husbandry. Åhrén acknowledged that nation states need to adapt to climate change, but that this should not mean the trampling over of indigenous peoples' rights and lands in the process.

Åhrén pointed out,

We believe that the Saami people can adapt to climate change.  But there is nothing we can do if you take our land from us. 



By way of illustration,  Åhrén highlighted the recent decision by the Northernmost Swedish County Administrative Board for the...

construction of a wind-mill park within the reindeer grazing lands of Östra Kikkejaure Saami community resulting in the community no longer being able to pursue reindeer husbandry(...)This would imply that the cultural roots of the Östra Kikkejaure reindeer herders are pulled up.  They will be thrown out of the lands their forefathers have used since time immemorial, and that they are currently trying to pass on to their children.  The Saami Council submits that it is not fair of the majority society, being the main contributors to the global warming, demanding such a sacrifice by its indigenous population.  

You can read the full statement here on the Reindeer Portal Document Archive