Comparative expectations of resource development in selected Greenland communities

This chapter presents a study carried out in Greenland between May 2017 and October 2019. The aim of the study is to explore how people in different regions of Greenland relate to former, existing and planned exploration and extraction projects in their areas. Exploration and exploitation of natural resources is known to contribute to major changes at individual, community and national levels. Each settlement in Greenland is unique and even settlements that are relatively close together and appear superficially similar can have very different experiences of and expectations for resource development. The chapter deals with an explanation of the methodology and ethical considerations, followed by a short description of extractive industries in Greenland, the basic regulatory framework and an introduction to the towns and settlements included in the study. It deals with interpretations of some of the results before concluding with a brief account of the implications of the study for improving participation in Greenland.