And with the construction of a planned 34-mile-long power line to Western Europe's largest liquified natural gas plant set for this summer, it's a big worry.

Proponents say the line to the Hammerfest LNG plant will help bring down Norway's carbon dioxide emissions.

But herder Nils Mathis Sara is skeptical.

"Yes, to cut emissions is great and all the talk about green (energy) sounds great to me, but to start digging in the wilderness and to call that a green transition that doesn't make sense to me."

The battle over the power line illustrates the tough choices countries face over cuts to emissions, competition over land, and growth.

This corral - about 1,000 miles away from Norway's capital, Oslo - is near the reindeers' winter pasture.

In summer, they use land about 150 miles away from here.

That's where females calve and young reindeer bulk up to survive the winter.

The new power line is set to go through that summer pastureland, with construction set to start within months.

Sara says existing towns, roads and other infrastructure have already taken a bite out of it.

"We don't have anywhere else to retreat to. We only have the measured area that is ours. And all the intrusions that will take place mean that unfortunately it is us that will have to move, at least the reindeer will have to move. We have to make a living from reindeer herding and it constitutes the income we will get from the industry, it comes from the grazing areas where we have reindeer. So we are very much against all that."

Sara says herders are also facing additional pressures from climate change.

Reindeer typically find their own food, digging in winter with their hooves to eat lichen buried underneath snow.

But milder weather means more rain, which freezes into a layer of ice.

It can keep the reindeer from getting at the food, meaning Sara has to break with tradition and feed the animals.

"It shouldn't be that I have to feed the reindeer up here. That reindeer is really worthless now that I'm feeding it. It costs so much to feed them. But there has been an emergency this year. Lately it has become so that winter is challenging with ice under the snow."

Sara's reindeer district group - which has about 100 herders - is planning legal action to try and stop construction of the power line, which is being built by grid operator Statnett.

It says reindeer will only be affected to a "limited extent."

But herders say reindeer don't like the structures and avoid staying near them.

Norway has committed to cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 55% compared to 1990 levels by 2030.

And the Hammerfest LNG plant is the country's second-largest single source of emissions.

Right now, five turbines at the plant run on gas.

The new line would allow it to tap into renewable power from Norway's grid.

More than 6 million European households rely on its energy, according to Kjetil Myklebust.

He's a project director with Equinor, which operates the plant.

"Norwegian gas has become really important for the energy security in Europe..." // "There could be dilemmas when we are developing energy infrastructure close to the reindeer herders. Still we are confident that it is possible to develop the Norwegian grid in good dialogue with the affected parties and that we can find good solutions that are acceptable for all."

In a landmark ruling in 2021, Norway's Supreme Court ruled the construction of two wind farms in central Norway violated the right of Indigenous minorities to enjoy their culture.

Sami groups, green activists and Greta Thunberg had protested over the issue.

But Norway's deputy energy minister Elisabeth Saether says she thinks the new line can be built without infringing on Indigenous rights.

"We need to create new jobs, enable for more economic activity. Future jobs will rely on clean energy, not diesel-powered generators." // "For this government, it is not an option to give a categoric 'no' to new power and new power lines in reindeer herding areas."

Herders say they would prefer for people to reduce energy consumption, or find other ways altogether to cut emissions.