Beneath a gentle appearance, Ellinor Guttorm Utsi, spokesperson for the Sámi village of Corgas on the Nordkinn Peninsula, hides an unwavering determination. This 60-year-old Sámi refuses to sacrifice ancestral traditions in the name of the climate transition.

Reindeer herding is central to Sámi life, but in 2023 the Norwegian government decided to erect eleven wind farms on these Arctic territories, partly to supply electricity to the liquefied natural gas plant on Melkøya Island.

“Our right to carry out our activities is at stake,” she explained to Nettavisen, noting that turbine movement and noise disrupt the reindeer, essential to Sámi identity and family income. Authorities suggested reducing lynx and wolverine populations to protect the herds, but she insists this will never justify wind energy development.

As published in Courrier International.

First published in Internazionale.