(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. 

In what the International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry would like to call the publishing event of the year, Al Gore has received signed copies of a brand new book published by the EALÁT team during the Melting Ice Conference being held in Tromso, prior to the Arctic Council meetings being held there this week. EALÁT project leader Ole Henrik Magga was on hand to make the presentation to the former U.S. Vice President who has become a tireless advocate of international action on climate change.

Entitled EALÁT: Reindeer Herders Voice - Reindeer Herding, Traditional Knowledge and Adaptation to Climate Change and Loss of Grazing Land and edited by Anders Oskal, Johan Mathis Turi, Svein D. Mathiesen and Philip Burgess, the over 150 page book is mid term report to the Arctic Council Council Sustainable Development Working Group and its publication was timed to coincide with the last meeting under the Norwegian chairmanship.