Thunberg, Indigenous protesters block Norway energy ministry over wind farms
ReutersFeb 27, 2023
Dozens of environmental activists, including Greta Thunberg, protested in front of the entrance to Norway’s energy ministry in Oslo on Monday against a wind farm they say infringes on the rights of the Sami Indigenous.
In October 2021, Norway’s Supreme Court ruled that the construction of wind turbines in Fosen, central Norway, violated the rights of the Sami, who have for centuries used the land to raise reindeer. The turbines currently remain in operation.
While the Norweigan Supreme Court did rule that the wind turbines violate Sami rights, it did not give guidance as to what should happen to the turbines or the roads built during their construction. The energy ministry is currently trying to navigate this complex legal landscape and resolve this issue as soon as possible.
The shift to renewable energy is important but it should not come at the expense of indigenous rights — climate protection and climate action must come hand in hand with climate justice. The Sami people have waited for over 16 months for their land rights to be restored. It is time for the Norweigan government to take the wind mills down.
There is a 50% chance that at least 138 gigawatts of new wind capacity will be installed globally in 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.