Living in Harmony with Nature? Sweden’s GBF Through a Sámi Lens
The Saami Council highlights gaps between Sweden’s biodiversity pledges under the Kunming–Montreal GBF emphasising the rights and needs of the Sámi people. Photo: Saami Council / Kristoffer Hætta
The Saami Council has completed an in-depth review on Sweden’s positioning on the targets stated in the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).
Eirik larsen, Head of the Human Rights Unit. Photo: Piera Heaika Muotka
Adopted in 2022, the framework sets sustainability goals with the mission of halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030. Its ultimate long-term vision is captured by the phrase “living harmony with nature by 2050”. With four overarching goals and 23 action-oriented targets, the GBF guides all Parties, who are expected to translate these into their own national biodiversity strategies and action plans.
As the framework is not legally binding, it relies on transparency and peer pressure to drive accountability. To strengthen these incentives, civil society and Indigenous organisations prepare position papers and assessments. The Saami Council has now successfully released the positioning paper on Sweden.
The analysis finds important gaps between Sweden’s biodiversity pledges and their practical outcomes, especially in relation to the rights and interests of the Sámi people.
Key themes presented in the Saami Council review are:
Strengthening Sámi participation by incorporating Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) in the Consultation Act.
Integrating traditional knowledge into law, national frameworks, and authority practices.
Securing land rights through amending the Reindeer Husbandry Act to include property rights, establishing a Sámi Territorial Rights Act, and ratifying ILO 169.
Expanding Sámi co-management of natural resources.
Differentiating terminology between “Indigenous peoples” and “local communities.”