Reindeer herders fear Lapland wind farm boom
Umeå and Jokkmokk, Sweden
Thick fluffy snow usually falls from November onwards, but the start of this winter was mild, with rain and sleet instead. This freezes quickly and makes it harder for reindeer to graze on lichen, their major food source. Research into the impact of wind farms on reindeer has produced mixed findings. Recent reports by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency concluded that reindeerSweden is investing heavily in wind farms in its sparsely populated north
Kristina Falk, head of permits for renewable energy firm Svevind, which operates many of Sweden's wind turbines, insists that assessing any potential impact on reindeer is always "an important part" of the planning process. The region is already home to one of Europe's biggest electric battery factories, powered by renewable energy sources. And a fossil fuel-free steel plant is being built that will use new hydrogen technology instead of traditional blast furnaces.
But she is concerned that the competing interests between reindeer herders and plans for more wind farms and mines have already increased tensions in some local communities.Maria Petterson says the Sami community is "more affected by climate change than average people" Five hours north of Umeå, the small town of Jokkmokk, just inside the Arctic Circle, is another place where Sami reindeer herders say they're feeling crowded out by the new industrial revolution.Some in the small town of Jokkmokk welcome more development in the area
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