Sámi Climate Council
About this good practice
The Sámi Climate Council gives statements on climate policy plans and creates the knowledge base to support creating better climate policies. The Council has 12 members, half of them presenting traditional Sámi knowledge and Sápmi (the Sámi land) geographically. The other half of the council members are scientists, presenting such fields as climatology, study of indigenous peoples and ecology.
Indigenous Sámi culture is particularly vulnerable to climate change for many reasons. The culture and the traditional livelihoods are closely linked to and dependent on the vulnerable Arctic nature. Arctic nature, however, is strongly threatened by climate change as the arctic areas are warming many times faster than the world's climate in general. In addition, green transition projects put additional pressure on the land use in the area.
For these reasons, there is a strong need for such independent expert body to better evaluate the impacts of climate policies in Sápmi and for Sámi people to enable creating better climate policies for the future.
Resources needed
Nationally funded by the Finnish Government.
Evidence of success
The Sámi Climate Council was appointed in August 2023 for which reason there is not yet results to present.
Potential for learning or transfer
The Sámi Climate Council is an unique way of bringing together traditional knowledge holders and scientists to improve climate policies - an approach we think would be beneficial also in other, especially rural, areas in Europe. Traditional knowledge holders offer vital information on how climate change is visible locally and how people and nature could adapt to it in the best way possible - respecting the local way of life. In addition the viewpoint of scientists build up to this knowledge, ensuring the scientific basis for the policies and actions taken.
Further information
Good practice owner
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