Moumita Das Gupta
Biography
Moumita Das Gupta is the National Rapporteur for Bangladesh and Regional Leader for Asia in the Sabin Center’s Peer Review Network. She is a Senior Research Fellow of the Centre for Climate Justice - Bangladesh (CCJ-B) and an Advocate practicing in the Supreme Court of Bangladesh. Earlier she has completed her LL.B (Hons.) and LL.M from the University of Chittagong and has worked with Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) as a Community Justice Fellow or Research Fellow. She is voluntarily serving as the National Coordinator of the Bangladesh National Front at the Asian Front of the World Youth for Climate Justice (WYCJ). She is experienced in providing voluntary legal aid services and in conducting participatory action research focusing on climate change law and policy. Her articles have been published both nationally and internationally.
Interview with Moumita Das Gupta
1. What’s a climate litigation case or trend that has caught your attention recently, and why?
Answer: Recently, the trend of seeking Advisory Opinions regarding State Responsibilities for climate change has caught my attention. After successful proceedings of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, both the International Court of Justice and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights are working on relevant questions. Also the African region is experiencing similar proceedings at present. As I am from Asia, which has no regional court, I am thinking about how the opinions of these international courts can be interpreted and utilized from national contexts to serve the climate-vulnerable communities and the vulnerable ecosystems of Bangladesh and other climate-vulnerable countries as well.
2. What’s one project or aspect of your work in climate litigation that you're particularly excited about in the next six months?
Answer: In the next six months I am particularly excited about my voluntary engagements with the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law and the World Youth for Climate Justice. With the experience of working with the Centre for Climate Justice - Bangladesh (CCJ-B), I hope I can work with these two organisations more effectively and efficiently while interpreting and implementing the Advisory Opinions of different international courts from national perspectives.
3. Is there any specific place in the world that inspires you to continue your line of work in advancing climate justice/action?
Answer: Yes. That place is my country Bangladesh and the climate-vulnerable areas of this country. As a part of my professional responsibilities, I have worked with the climate vulnerable communities of Bangladesh and eye-witnessed their immense sufferings. Being a lawyer, I was always enthusiastic about serving the common people of my country through law. While working with CCJ-B I learned that I can serve the climate-vulnerable communities and climate-vulnerable ecosystems of Bangladesh by using law as a tool. It made me think more deeply about my social responsibilities as a lawyer, i.e., a social engineer. It inspires me to continue my line of work in advancing climate justice/action.