Greta Thunberg, protest against wind farms? Yes, when they violate a UN text. The Swedish activist, known as a defender of fossil fuels, has joined the struggle of Sami activists, indigenous people of the Arctic, who are protesting against the exploitation of two parks, which have been condemned by the courts. The group decided to block ministries in Oslo to make themselves heard.
“Today, we are closing the state”, launched the Sami musician and activist, Ella Marie Haetta Isaksen, to the protesters, mostly dressed in the traditional blue and red costume of this population who live in an area covering the north of the Norway, Sweden, and Finland as well as the Kola Peninsula in Russia. In addition to the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, whose access was blocked as the day before by activists chanting slogans, the blockage was extended to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The police finally cleared access to one of the ministries by force.
Five hundred days of state inaction
“We cannot use the so-called climate transition as a cover for colonialism,” Greta Thunberg told TV2 on Monday. “A climate transition that violates human rights is not a climate transition worthy of the name”. Activists have been calling for the demolition of two wind farms, in the Fosen region of western Norway, which they have called ‘illegal’ since a resounding Norwegian Supreme Court ruling a little more ago five hundred days. The country’s highest court concluded in October 2021 that the project violated the right of Sami families to practice their culture, namely reindeer herding, in violation of a UN text on civil and political rights. .
If they had unanimously deemed invalid the authorizations granted for the construction of the 151 turbines, the 11 magistrates had on the other hand said nothing about the fate to be reserved for them. Criticized for their supposed slowness, the Norwegian authorities have pledged to respect the judgment of the Supreme Court and have ordered additional expertise in the hope of finding mechanisms allowing electricity producers and reindeer herders to coexist.