The Norwegian Supreme Court has revoked the licence for two wind farms, upholding the rights of the Sami people. Reindeer herders based their objections on the fact that the appearance and operational noise of wind turbines distress and frighten the animals, which consequently threatens centuries-old traditions, meaning the territories in question should not be used for wind farms or similar projects.

The Supreme Court effectively assessed how and whether the existence and construction of the wind turbines in Norway's central region (which is part of a 1.3 billion USD project and part of the largest onshore wind farm in Europe) had "interfered" with the rights of the Sami reindeer herders, as established by international agreements.

The Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court unanimously concluded that there had been an interference with the rights of the indigenous population, as a result of which the issued wind energy production licence and land use rights were declared invalid. It should be noted, however, that the court did not determine in its ruling what should be done with the existing turbines. A lawyer representing the reindeer herders explained that the court's decision means the dismantling of 151 wind turbines.