A/HRC/18/35/Add.2 C. Rights to lands, waters and natural resources 79. For the Sami people, as with other indigenous peoples throughout the world, securing rights over land and natural resources is fundamental to their selfdetermination, and is considered a prerequisite for the Sami people to be able to continue to exist as a distinct people. 80. The Special Rapporteur recognizes the efforts of the Nordic Governments in recent decades to advance the rights of Sami people to their lands, territories and resources. These efforts should be redoubled in order to guarantee the Sami people a sustainable basis for their economic, social and cultural development. 81. The Special Rapporteur recommends that Norway finalize the process of clarifying and securing Sami land and resource rights both within and outside of Finnmark County. He further recommends that Norway give close consideration to the findings of the Coastal Fishing Committee and take effective measures to secure fishing rights for the Sami coastal population. 82. The Special Rapporteur recommends that Sweden increase its efforts to demarcate the traditional territory of the Sami people. He further calls on Sweden to adopt legislation to revise the high burden of proof required to establish traditional Sami rights to land in court proceedings and to provide Sami parties with legal aid in such proceedings. 83. In consultation with the Swedish Sami Parliament and the Sami people, Sweden should increase its efforts to develop legislation to address issues related to the Sami people, including the issue of land and resource rights. 84. Finland should step up its effort to clarify and legally protect Sami rights to land and resources. In particular, Finland should ensure special protections for Sami reindeer husbandry, given the centrality of this means of livelihood to the culture and heritage of the Sami people. 85. Legislative and administrative mechanisms that allow for the extraction of natural resources from Sami territories should conform to relevant international standards, including those requiring adequate consultations with the affected indigenous communities and their free, prior and informed consent, mitigation measures, compensation and benefit sharing. 86. The Nordic States, in consultation with the Sami parliaments, should consolidate measures to address the adverse effects of climate change on the Sami people. At the same time, they should ensure that measures to promote renewable energy sources, such as wind farms, do not themselves adversely affect Sami livelihoods. 87. The Nordic States should endeavour to maintain the predator populations in the reindeer herding areas at levels that reindeer herding communities can withstand, and they should fully compensate the reindeer herders for damages caused to them by predators. D. Language and education 88. The Special Rapporteur recommends that the Nordic States and the Sami parliaments cooperate to redouble efforts to revitalize Sami languages and strengthen programmes for education in Sami languages and culture. The States should provide immediate and adequate funding to the Sami parliaments to assist in the 21