Space Travel News
WIND DAILY
Greta Thunberg protests illegal wind turbines in Norway
Greta Thunberg protests illegal wind turbines in Norway
by AFP Staff Writers
Oslo (AFP) Oct 12, 2023

Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg on Thursday joined indigenous Sami activists protesting in Oslo against wind turbines still operating on reindeer herding land two years after a court ruled them illegal.

On October 11, 2021, Norway's Supreme Court found that two wind farms in the Fosen region of western Norway -- on land used by Sami reindeer herders -- violated the rights of the indigenous people, guaranteed by the UN, to practise their culture of reindeer husbandry.

Two years later, the 151 turbines are still operating.

To mark the anniversary on Wednesday, dozens of environment activists and Samis began a series of protests in the Norwegian capital expected to last several days, demanding the demolition of the turbines.

On Thursday, Thunberg joined the activists to block the entrance to the headquarters of state-owned energy group Statkraft, which operates 80 of the 151 turbines in Fosen.

"It's important to show solidarity when human rights violations are taking place especially in Scandinavia against the Sami people," Thunberg told AFP on Wednesday.

She was speaking just after a court in the southern Swedish town of Malmo had fined her for public disobedience at a July 24th protest in Malmo.

"All of us who can be there and show our support should," she said.

On Thursday, she sat on the ground next to activists clad in traditional Sami clothing at the foot of a lavvu, a Sami tent erected outside the Statkraft entrance.

Thunberg had already taken part in a demonstration in February to mark the 500th day since the Supreme Court ruling.

"Greta Thunberg is an important ally supporting our cause," Sami activist and artist Ella Marie Haetta Isaksen said.

- Demolition 'excluded' -

While the Supreme Court found that the expropriation and operating permits for the construction of the turbines were invalid, it gave no guidance on what should be done with the turbines, which were already in operation.

Norway's government has apologised to Sami reindeer herding families and recognised that their human rights have been violated.

It has launched a mediation process to try to find a solution enabling both the herders and wind farms to continue their activities.

Petroleum and Energy Minister Terje Aasland said Wednesday "the destruction of all wind turbines was excluded" and "not a likely outcome of either a decision-making process or a mediation process."

The outcome could set a precedent for other infrastructure projects on the vast lands traditionally used by the Sami across Norway.

An indigenous minority of around 100,000 people spread over the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia, the Sami have traditionally lived off reindeer herding and fishing.

Related Links
Wind Energy News at Wind Daily

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
WIND DAILY
How wind turbines react to turbulence
Oldenburg, Germany (SPX) Sep 25, 2023
The power output of wind turbines can go up or down by 50 percent within seconds. Such fluctuations in the megawatt range put a strain on both power grids and the turbines themselves. A new study by researchers from the University of Oldenburg in Germany and the Sharif University of Technology in Tehran (Iran) presents a method that could help to prevent these power swings. According to the study, it is the control systems of wind turbines that are mainly responsible for short-term fluctuations in ... read more

WIND DAILY
WIND DAILY
Light rocks on deck, gray rocks in the hole: Sols 3966-3697

NASA's Perseverance captures dust-filled Martian whirlwind

Double DRT for a Soliday: Sols 3964-3965:

Dust removal delayed: Sols 3962-3963

WIND DAILY
China's next robotic lunar probe open to foreign science payloads

China invites Chang'e-8 lunar probe mission global collaboration

Lunar ambitions boost space funding as investment set to reach $33 billion by 2032

NASA to begin critical testing of updated engines for future Artemis missions

WIND DAILY
Large mound structures on Kuiper belt object Arrokoth may have common origin

Plot thickens in the hunt for a ninth planet

Webb finds carbon source on surface of Jupiter's moon Europa

Hidden ocean the source of CO2 on Jupiter moon

WIND DAILY
James Webb telescope captures planet-like structures in Orion Nebula

Study sheds new light on strange lava worlds

JWST's first spectrum of a TRAPPIST-1 planet

Alien Machines in the Solar System: The Possibilities and Potential Origins

WIND DAILY
Rocket Lab opens engine development center in Long Beach

Vega-C Zefiro40 Test: Independent Enquiry

Spain's MIURA 1 launch campaign kicks off

Maritime Launch unveils commercial suborbital program at Spaceport Nova Scotia

WIND DAILY
Astronauts honored for contributions to China's space program

China capable of protecting astronauts from effects of space weightlessness

Tianzhou 5 spacecraft burns up on Earth reentry

Crew of Shenzhou XV mission honored for six-month space odyssey

WIND DAILY
SwRI scientists use Webb, Sofia telescopes to observe metallic asteroid

Initial curation of NASA's OSIRIS-REx sample delayed

Hera takes wing

Likely asteroid debris found upon opening of returned NASA probe

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.