The Saami Climate Council, established in Finland under the Climate Act (423/2022), is tasked with providing information on climate change from the perspective of Saami traditional knowledge and scientific research to authorities and the Saami community for decision-making and raising awareness of the impacts of climate change on Saami culture.
Saami culture is especially vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change due to their close relationship to the Arctic environment. Saami homeland and the Arctic are warming three to four times as fast as the rest of the world.
Finnish government appointed the first Sami Climate Council for a four-year term on August 24, 2023.
The Council has 12 members. According to the decree on the Saami Climate Council, at least half of the members must be holders of Saami traditional knowledge. The chairperson is Dr. Klemetti Näkkäläjärvi from the University of Oulu, and the vice-chairperson is Petra Biret Magga-Vars.