Abstract:

Indigenous peoples should be at the centre of the planning and implementation of mineral and natural resource use policies in nation-states. They should be able to influence decisions on planned activities and initiatives that affect them. They should be able to grant and withdraw consent for these projects and participate in making decisions about extractive projects on their traditional lands. Free prior informed consent is a principle for consulting, cooperating, and obtaining consent from Indigenous peoples through their representative institutions on matters affecting them. It is promoted by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which calls on nations to strengthen the civil, political, and economic rights of Indigenous peoples by securing their rights to land, minerals, and other natural resources. Extractive companies have been developing policies to address Indigenous peoples' concerns as part of legal compliance and voluntary actions under corporate social responsibility. The lives and cultural heritage of Indigenous peoples are continuously affected by operations of extractive industries. This is notable in the Circumpolar North, where Indigenous peoples have developed sustainable resource use practices in fragile natural environments.