Today, the government is putting forward measures that can mitigate the conflicts between reindeer husbandry and the development of power in central and northern Norway. – Reducing the population target for lynx and wolverine is one of the things that we are looking at in the measures that have been put forward that are linked to mitigating the conflict related to predator loss, says Climate and Environment Minister Andreas Bjelland Eriksen (Ap) to news. Together with two other ministers, Bjelland Eriksen is putting forward a so-called package of measures for reindeer herding and energy. This happens two days after an agreement was reached in the mediation between Sør-Fosen and Fosen Vind. MEASURES: Agriculture and Food Minister Geir Pollestad (former), Oil and Energy Minister Terje Aasland and Climate and Environment Minister Andreas Bjelland Eriksen have drawn up a plan that can mitigate the conflict between reindeer husbandry and power developers. Photo: Petter Larsson / news Agriculture and Food Minister Geir Pollestad (Sp) says the government has learned a lot from the Fosen case. – And I think we will learn a lot from it. But the most important thing is that we must have good facts at the bottom, we must make the decisions early, and the various interests must be experienced after they are equal, he says. Sámi Parliament President Silje Karine Muotka (NSR) reacts with astonishment at the package of measures. – The government has designed it without any form of contact with the Sámi Parliament, she writes in an e-mail to news. SURPRISED: Sámi Parliament President Silje Karine Muotka. Photo: JUNE BJORNBACK / JUNE BJORNBACK Predators in the energy measures The aim of the package of measures is to make it easier for the reindeer herding industry to be better taken care of when planning, developing networks and renewable energy. And part of the government’s measures to be able to develop energy in the north is to reduce predators. Now the Norwegian Environment Agency will “investigate the reduction of population targets for lynx and wolverines with the aim of reducing the burden on reindeer husbandry”. – Through the thorough and broad process that has now taken place, we have seen the significant challenges associated with the loss of game in the reindeer grazing districts. We have been keen to take that seriously, explains Climate and Environment Minister Andreas Bjelland Eriksen. He emphasizes that predator management must continue to be such that Norway has sustainable populations of predators. Will reduce the level of conflict Oil and Energy Minister Terje Aasland (Ap) says the idea behind the government’s plan is a desire to reduce the level of conflict between reindeer husbandry and energy measures. He says the need for more power is great, but that they must at the same time safeguard reindeer husbandry’s opportunity to live on in new generations. – I think the measures we are proposing now will remedy the situation and at the same time ensure that reindeer husbandry also has a greater influence on development, says Aasland. But at the same time, he says that the government must take account of society’s development. – We must have access to more renewable energy to make it possible to use the fantastic opportunities in the north, he says. Sami Parliament President Silje Karine Muotka believes that the implementation of the measures is subject to consultation. – But the decision about which measures are necessary to strengthen reindeer husbandry also needs to be consulted on, she writes. This is the government’s package of measures: Planning When preparing new state planning guidelines for coordinated housing, land and transport planning, the government will make it clear that Sami reindeer husbandry must be taken care of in a good way, while also taking into account the other development of society. The guidelines must be used as a basis for regional and municipal planning and state authorities’ decisions within the Sami reindeer herding area. Updated maps The government wants to improve the overview of reindeer herding’s land use through updated land use maps and district plans for reindeer herding. The government wants to strengthen research into what effects the construction and operation of energy facilities have on reindeer herding. Update the knowledge base Norwegian Directorate of Water Resources and Energy (NVE ) is commissioned to update the knowledge base on reindeer husbandry and energy, in the same way as was done in the follow-up of the national framework for onshore wind power. implement measures to reduce carnivore losses in collaboration with the reindeer herding industry. Reduction of population targets The Norwegian Environment Agency is tasked with investigating the reduction of population targets for lynx and wolverines with the aim of reducing the burden on reindeer herding in the three northernmost management regions for carnivores. In the event of any change in the population targets, The Norwegian Environment Agency and other carnivore authorities must quickly adjust management so that the stocks are managed in line with new population targets. Measures starting in 2024 The Norwegian Environment Agency and the Norwegian Directorate of Agriculture are tasked with quickly, before the calving period starts in 2024, to assess and propose measures that reduce the pressure of carnivore in the reindeer grazing areas where energy measures are relevant. Among other things, possibilities for faster processing of applications for cancellation permits will be assessed.Strengthened participation The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy and the Ministry of Local Government and District Affairs are starting work on preparing a guide for the treatment of wind power plants according to the Energy Act and the Planning and Building Act.The guide must clarify how participation is to be carried out in licensing processes and how coordination of consultations in matters under the Planning and Building Act and the Energy Act can take place. Reindeer herding expertise in planning The government will consider various measures to raise the municipalities’ planning capacity and reindeer herding expertise in the Sami reindeer herding area. The government will look at how to strengthen the reindeer herding districts’ ability to follow up on land matters Professional environments The Directorate of Agriculture has been tasked with building up a professional environment for reindeer husbandry and land management. This will facilitate raising the knowledge of both state administrators and the municipality. The Government will establish a national contact forum with reindeer husbandry in which the relevant ministry and directorates concerned participate. Areas returned to reindeer husbandry The Government will look into whether there may be state areas that have previously been reindeer grazing land, and which is no longer in use for the purpose it was set aside for, which can be returned to reindeer grazing. Better impact assessments The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and District Affairs and the Ministry of Climate and Environment have initiated a review of the regulations for impact assessments. In this work, the ministries will take a closer look at how the regulations can better facilitate assessments of reindeer herding. Traditional knowledge A new methodology for assessments of reindeer herding in impact assessments will be established, and in particular assess how traditional knowledge is to be obtained. The Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy (NIBIO) has started a project which will result in a proposal for a new methodology for reindeer husbandry in impact assessments. 0.2 øre/kWh The government announced this autumn that it aims for an amount equivalent to 0.2 øre/ kWh of wind power production is set aside for local purposes such as nature, reindeer husbandry and possibly other purposes that are directly affected by land use. The further follow-up of the scheme must be based on the fact that reindeer herding, which is directly affected by specific wind power projects, must be ensured a share of the value creation that the projects generate. ACTIONS: This year there have been several actions against the government’s handling of the Fosen case. The picture is from the action at the Storting in autumn. Photo: Alf Simensen / Alf Simensen – Building new energy measures The Minister of Oil and Energy says the government will ensure that the reindeer herders are confident that there is enough land for their activities. In parallel with the consideration of reindeer husbandry’s land needs, Aasland wants to do this: – At the same time as we make arrangements so that we can build both footpaths and cycleways, build new energy measures, so that we can make arrangements for the wonderful opportunities that are in the north can actually be realized. Create security for work. Turn the negative development of a strong population decline into a population increase, he says to news. Both the reindeer herding industry and the power industry need large areas. In most of the cases that are now being processed by NVE, this is clearly evident. The Minister of Agriculture and Food has political responsibility for the reindeer herding industry in Norway. Geir Pollestad does not believe that the conflicts that exist between the industry and other industries that want to build on the land will disappear with the package of measures. – I hope the package will contribute to them being dampened, reduced. There is a discussion about area. Reindeer farms need a lot of land. So does energy development, he says to news. He says the measures linked to predators can help ensure that the areas can be used in a better way. – The area will not get bigger, and the fight will continue for it, he says. The minister also says that they want to see if state land can be used for reindeer grazing purposes. The President of the Sámi Parliament writes in the e-mail that individually many of the government’s measures are positive. – It is important to strengthen reindeer husbandry’s land basis and improve the decision-making processes regarding interventions in reindeer husbandry’s operational basis, writes Muotka. She adds that most of the measures are designed to strengthen municipal and state administration. – There is only one measure concerning the districts, and none that will strengthen the Sámi Parliament’s capacity to be involved in processes, writes the Sámi Parliament president.
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Lynx and wolverine in the government’s power development plans – news Sápmi
