Because she sees the rights of indigenous peoples being violated, climate activist Greta Thunberg and others are protesting against a Norwegian wind farm that is majority-owned by Stadtwerke München.
Oslo/Munich (dpa/lby) – The Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg demonstrated in Oslo against a Norwegian wind farm, which, according to a verdict, violates the rights of indigenous peoples. Thunberg and dozens of other activists blocked the entrance to the Norwegian Ministry of Finance on Tuesday and partially chained themselves, the NTB news agency reported. The majority owner of the wind farm is the Munich public utility, which holds 70 percent of it, as a spokesman confirmed.
Police officers took action against the sit-in and, according to their own statements, carried away demonstrators. The activists had already blocked the Energy Ministry on Monday.
The protests are directed against a wind farm on the Fosen peninsula on Norway’s west coast. According to NTB, the country’s highest court ruled in October 2021 that the wind farm violates the rights of the indigenous peoples in the region – the Sami. Many reindeer herders live in the affected area. However, as nothing has reportedly happened since then and more than 500 days have now passed, the activists are calling on the government to remove the wind farm. Several media had previously reported.
Thunberg told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that she was not protesting green energy, but violations of indigenous peoples’ rights. “It’s completely absurd that this is happening, and it looks like the Norwegian state is ignoring it,” said the Swede. Thunberg sees the conflict as a case of “green colonialism”. Climate protection must not be carried out on the backs of these groups, but must take place fairly and fairly.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre told the broadcaster that a political solution was being worked on and that the concerns of local reindeer herders in particular were taken very seriously.
The Munich public utility company said on Tuesday when asked: “Before the start of construction, the reindeer herders in North Fosen confirmed in writing that they had no objections to the validity of the concession.” The Ministry granted this for 25 years. “The start of construction was also approved in writing.” Only the amount of compensation was still open. Stadtwerke supported the search for a solution and was confident that one would be found.
