Mediation and Conflict Resolution

 

An interest based negotiation process that begins with an assessment of the situation/conflict is best suited for public conflict resolution, such as mediation for environmental disputes. If the prerequisites for a joint process exist, the process can proceed to the designing of the mediation process and defining of its goals, ground rules, roles and responsibilities. The latter phases of the process include joint fact finding, negotiations and agreeing on the commitments.

Where will the conflicts generated by the Green Transition be resolved?

The green transition is a significant societal transformation, involving struggles between various interest groups. Which conflicts can be anticipated and avoided, and which battles are unavoidable? The aim of the green transition is the creation of a sustainable economy that does not rely on energy…
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Iijoki River Visioning Process

A collaborative approach was used to build a shared vision for the future of the Iijoki water system. In addition to the restoration of the migratory fish stocks, the aim of the envisioning work was to address the water quality in the Iijoki basin, and to increase the attractiveness of the area for e.g. tourism and business. The Iijoki River Vision was published in 2018. The Advisory Board will continue to work on planning and prioritizing measures, and new projects, to increase the value of the river. This has already led to several projects improving the status of the river, including conservation and restoration projects.
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Building a Collaborative Platform for Reindeer Husbandry and Wind Power

The need for a more open dialogue and better mutual understanding had been recognized both in the wind power sector and in reindeer husbandry, and it was considered that this would improve collaboration. The work of constructing a collaborative platform began in 2020 in discussions hosted by Akordi…
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Negotiations and mediation between the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, Greenpeace and the Finnish forest administration Metsähallitus in 2018-2021

The concerned parties commissioned Akordi in autumn 2018 to assess the prolonged forestry conflicts in the Kainuu region. In order for the conflict to be resolved the national level aspects had to be discussed as well. A twelve member working group was founded from members of the concerned organizations including national directors and forest experts of the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation and Finnish Greenpeace. The group convened 14 times between November 2019 and January 2021. The scope of the work expanded significantly from what was initially planned to include all state owned forests in Finland.
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Conflict assessment: Sámi herding cooperatives and Metsähallitus

In 2020 the lingering tensions between Sámi reindeer herders and Metsähallitus forestry called for framing the conflict. In a novel approach, a neutral party intervenes in a lingering conflict to get a clearer picture of the situation. Conflict analysis is sometimes a part of environmental conflict mediation. It isn’t research, since it has a more practical goal; to lay the foundation for resolving the conflict.
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