Adaptation Actions for a Changing Arctic: Perspectives from the Barents Area

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Chapter 3 · Local and regional perspectives on adaptation

Philip Burgess

Inside the Lavvu, Finnmark county, Norway

2011; Turunen et al., 2016), especially indigenous knowledge keepers and communities (Tyler et al., 2007; Eira et al., 2008; Oskal et al., 2009; Ford et al., 2012; Nakashima et al., 2012; Löf, 2014). For reindeer herders, it is not the direct effects of climate change that are the main problem, since herders have always adapted to a changing environment and are masters of living with uncertainty; a capacity made possible through inherent flexibility and diversity of pastures, landscapes, economy, and herding practices; social and organizational networks; and mobility (Tyler et al., 2007; Vuojala-Magga et al., 2011; Löf et al., 2012; Horstkotte, 2013; Brännlund, 2015). Rather, the problem lies in the restricted opportunities for adaptation, socio-economic challenges, and the cumulative impacts of multiple drivers.These include loss of land and forage to other land uses, increasing predation, rising costs, poorly recognized indigenous land rights, and limited influence over other land uses and in governance systems (Forbes et al., 2006; Tyler et al., 2007; Rees et al., 2008; Oskal et al., 2009; Furberg et al., 2011; Klokov, 2012; Pape and Löffler, 2012; Arctic Council, 2013; Löf, 2013, 2014; Reinert and Benjaminsen, 2015). Being able to adapt is thus not just a desirable and historically defining trait of reindeer herding; it is also an illustration of how power is currently dispersed among different actors (Löf, 2013, 2014) and that in many instances, national priorities reflected in new legislation and administrative practices seem to take precedence over indigenous rights.This was certainly the case in several mining development cases over the past decade (Herrmann et al., 2014; Stefansdottir, 2014; Tuusjärvi et al., 2014; Nygaard, 2016).

3.2.3 Stakeholder perspectives Another popular approach developed in recent years is research on stakeholder perspectives in different economic sectors (Stępień et al., 2016). In terms of the forestry sector in Sweden, the industry itself is diverse and is characterized by multiple stakeholders and users. The strategies used for addressing the direct and indirect impacts of climate change differ widely. For example, some strategies focus on how forests can sequester carbon and replace fossil fuels as a source of energy, whereas others focus on concerns about increasing competition for land and matters regarding multiple land use, justice and rights (Beland Lindahl andWestholm,2011).An awareness of the need to integrate adaptation is slowly awakening within the industry, and althoughmany report a lack of knowledge and information on how to adjust forest management practices, preliminary results indicate a high degree of willingness to adapt among forest owners (Andersson et al., 2015; Ulmanen et al., 2015). The role of markets, and regulatory and governance systems has been emphasized both by forestry and reindeer husbandry actors (Keskitalo, 2008). An example of one such processes is the Future Forests research program(2009–2016),under which several visionary workshops were heldwith different stakeholder groups (nature conservation, recreation and local development,forestry and energy,and Sami industries) about future developments in Swedish forestry. Although an analysis has not yet been published, reports from the workshops are available. Forestry and energy stakeholders envisioned forestry as a continued foundation for the Swedish

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