Negotiated Agreements and Sámi Reindeer Herding in Sweden: Evaluating Outcomes

Abstract

In the European north, there is a growing trend for Sámi reindeer herding communities to enter negotiated agreements with developers on projects that aim to exploit land and natural resources. This paper offers, for the first time, an evaluation of the content of a selection of these agreements, drawing on a sample of 15 agreements from five communities in Sweden. The evaluation was conducted from a Sámi perspective on how the agreements affect the ability of herding communities to safeguard reindeer wellbeing. The overall conclusion is that the agreements provide some positive contributions to mitigate harm to the reindeer, but also contribute considerable risks. We argue that agreements might have a meaningful role to play in the integration of Sámi rights in land and resource decisions, but herding communities have considerable space to increase the range of clauses–guided by larger goals of Sámi self-determination.