Jointly with herders, local partners and national authorities, the project is studying the impacts of land-use change and climate change on nomadic pastoralists, and further assessing the herders’ adaptation options and opportunities. It is facilitating dialogue between various stakeholders, helping to build partnerships between reindeer herding communities, and supporting and strengthening local institutions. It is are also increasing the capacity of nomadic herders to engage in the decision-making processes concerning land use and natural resource management.

The Nomadic Herders project started in 2010 and is a joint initiative by UNEP/GRID-Arendal, the Association of World Reindeer Herders and the UArctic EALAT Institute at the International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry (ICRH).

The project is also part of the United Nation Environment Programme’s (UNEP) work on Ecosystem-based Adaptation and funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The project builds on the results and experiences from the International Polar Year EALAT project on climate change adaptation in reindeer husbandry.