On October 11, 2021, Norway’s Supreme Court ruled that the construction of two wind farms in the Fosen region of western Norway violated the rights of the Sami, who have used the land for reindeer herding for centuries.
Two years later, 151 turbines are still operating.
Dozens of environmental activists and Sami began days of protests in Norway’s capital on Wednesday, demanding the power plants be demolished, to commemorate the court’s ruling two years ago.
On Thursday, Thunberg and activists blocked the entrance to the headquarters of state-owned energy group Statkraft, which operates 80 of the 151 turbines in Fossen.
“It is important to show solidarity when human rights are violated in Scandinavia, especially against the Sami people,” Thunberg told the AFP news agency on Wednesday.
She spoke just after a court in the southern Swedish city of Malmö fined her for public disobedience during a July 24 protest in Malmö.
“All of us who can be there to show our support should do so,” she said.
On Thursday, she sat on the ground next to activists dressed in traditional Sami clothing outside a traditional tent set up at the entrance to Statkraft.
Thunberg already took part in a demonstration in February to mark the 500th day since the Supreme Court decision.
“Greta Thunberg is an important ally supporting our cause,” said Sami activist Ella Marie Haetta Isaksen.
Demolition is not considered
Although Norway’s Supreme Court ruled that the expropriation and operating permits for the turbines were invalid, it did not make any recommendations on what should be done with the turbines already in operation.
The Norwegian government has apologized to the families of Sami reindeer herders and acknowledged that their human rights had been violated.
It has launched a mediation process to find a solution that allows both the herders and the wind farms to continue operating.
Norway’s oil and energy minister Terje Aasland said on Wednesday that a plan to demolish all wind turbines was not under consideration and “is not likely to be a decision-making or mediation process.”
The nub of this dispute could set a precedent for other infrastructure projects on vast lands traditionally used by the Sami throughout Norway.
About 100 thousand the Sami minority, located in the northern part of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia, has traditionally made a living from reindeer herding and fishing.
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