Living in Harmony with Nature? Sweden’s GBF Through a Sámi Lens

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 (NBSAPs).

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 Sami rights and interests.

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."

Both the positioning paper and the CBD analysis will soon be published on Samiráddi. Stay tuned for updates as the Sámi Council continues its work in the lead-up to the CBD meeting in Panama, October 2025.