论创立中国环境公民诉讼制度

On the Creation of an Environmental Citizen Suit System in China

借鉴影响广泛的美国公民诉讼经验,提出并论证具有我国特色的环境公民诉讼制度。本文提出,中国的环境公民诉讼制度是一种既不同于一般的行政诉讼,又不同于信访和行政复议的新的监督行政行为的制度。它的目的是督促政府勤勉依法履行环境保护公共职能。它的特点是以法庭诉讼督促政府履行环保职能的手段,以60天诉前通知期为触发法庭诉讼的必要条件。它的创立将为我国公民、法人和其他组织有序参与环境管理提供一个崭新的法律渠道。

Using the American experience of citizen suit as a source of reference, this paper proposes and justifies the creation of an environmental citizen suit system in China with distinct Chinese characteristics. The authors believe that a citizen suit system is different from administrative litigation, Letters and Visits, or administrative review in China. The purpose of an environmental citizen suit system in China is to force the government to diligently carry out its function and responsibility in environmental protection. In this system, court litigation is used as a means to urge the government to serve its functions in environmental protection, and a 60-day notice will be given before the due date of court litigation. The creation of this system in China will provide Chinese citizens with a new legal channel and procedure to orderly participate in the environmental affairs of the nation.