Risks to Sami Rights in LKAB's Per Geijer Rare Earths Project
The Per Geijer project in Sweden, crucial for the EU's raw material strategy, poses risks to Sami indigenous rights. Despite its potential economic benefits, mining activities could disrupt reindeer migration routes critical to the Sami community.
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The Per Geijer iron ore and rare earths project, managed by LKAB, is significant for the EU's strategy to decrease reliance on external sources for critical minerals. It is designated as a strategic project under the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) and is expected to supply essential materials for green technologies.
However, the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) report highlights risks to the indigenous Sami community's rights, indicating potential violations of international obligations, including the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The project intersects vital reindeer migration corridors, posing a threat to the Sami way of life.
LKAB, while acknowledging the project's impact, aims to engage with the Sami community for solutions. Legal challenges from the Sami are anticipated if the mining concession is granted. The situation underscores the tension between resource extraction and indigenous rights, amplified by climate change effects on reindeer herding.
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