Dr. Joyeeta Gupta, an Indian-origin professor, was honored with the prestigious Spinoza Prize during an event organized by The Dutch Research Council (NWO) in The Hague on October 4th. Often regarded as the Dutch equivalent of the Nobel Prize, this award recognizes her outstanding contributions to the field of climate change.
In recognition of her remarkable work, Dr. Gupta was granted a generous research fund of 1.5 million euros (approximately US$1.6 million). The Embassy of India in The Hague congratulated her on this achievement through a social media post.
Dr. Gupta currently holds multiple academic roles, serving as a professor of environment and development in the global south at the University of Amsterdam, a professor of law and policy in water resources and environment at IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, and co-chair of the Earth Commission, an initiative established by Future Earth and supported by the Global Challenges Foundation.
The Dutch Research Council highlighted Dr. Gupta’s research focus on addressing the inequitable distribution of the impacts of climate change through effective governance. She also recently received the Piers Sellers Prize from the University of Leeds.
Born on June 12, 1964, in Delhi, Dr. Gupta pursued her academic journey, earning a bachelor’s degree in economics from Lady Shri Ram College, followed by a law degree from Sir L A Shah Law College in Ahmedabad, and a Master of Law from Harvard University in the USA, thanks to an Inlaks fellowship she received in 1988.
Dr. Gupta’s extensive contributions extend beyond academia, encompassing the authorship of numerous books and articles on topics related to environmental management and international development studies. She was notably the lead author of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007, jointly with Al Gore.
The Dutch Research Council recognized that during her PhD research, Dr. Gupta was among the pioneers in identifying the direct consequences of climate change, including heightened risks of flooding, drought, and crop loss, on the disparities between the affluent and the less fortunate.
The Spinoza Prize jury was highly impressed by the breadth and interdisciplinary nature of Dr. Gupta’s research, acknowledging her significant scientific impact. Furthermore, they commended her for her mentorship and guidance to emerging researchers in the field.
