Out of the shadow: a routine for inclusion of Sámi reindeer herding communities in the review of environmental licenses for hydropower

The aim of this project is to transform recent research on Sámi rights and resource governance into a new routine by which the responsible government agencies can facilitate inclusion of reindeer herding communities in forthcoming review of environmental licenses for hydropower.

This is a governance innovation with significant potential for upscaling – applicable throughout the reindeer herding territory (about 55% of Sweden’s land area), in court reviews for more than 100 hydropower dams in the Bottenviken and Bottenhavet water districts, and with an employment period of up to 20-years.

The focus is on how the cooperation that shall take place for each catchment prior to court proceedings can ensure that Sámi claims are assessed.The partnership comprises of the Stockholm Environment Institute, the Sámi Parliament, the Swedish Sámi Association and Luleå University of Technology.

The project will also engage with representatives from intended adopters of the routine in government agencies.

The involvement of Sámi organizations will help the project infuse much-needed environmental justice considerations into the ‘shadow places’ created by Swedish energy and climate policy.

This will contribute to more sustainable, effective and legitimate hydropower governance, including that government agencies enact their duty to protect Sámi rights and the hydropower industry avoid unnecessary financial and reputational harm.