Working towards new means for reconciling wind power and reindeer husbandry through collaboration in Northern Finland

As formal governance and planning processes struggle to address energy transition related conflicts, there is a growing need for approaches that help parties understand emerging tensions and identify mutually acceptable solutions. In this paper, we present a case study from Finland where wind power developers and reindeer herders have established a collaborative arrangement to address conflicts and develop shared practices for communication and negotiation. Drawing on action research, we explore how the arrangement can enhance understanding of root causes of tensions and support reconciliation of competing land-uses. Our findings highlight the importance of neutral ground, addressing issues beyond individual projects, identifying drivers of conflict, developing practical solutions, and establishing arrangements for recurring interaction. We argue that while reconciling different needs is not always possible, collaborative arrangements can foster mutual learning, trust-building, and novel practices to balance competing land uses, thereby supporting the management of conflicts associated with the energy transition.