马萨诸塞州诉美国联邦环保局案的述评

Legal Reflections of the Massachusetts v. EPA

马萨诸塞州诉美国联邦环保局案是美国第一件具有里程碑意义的气候变化公益诉讼案件,该案体现了美国各州和民间力量通过公民诉讼方式促进政府采取温室气体减排行动的艰巨努力。该案从联邦上诉法院一审到联邦最高法院再审,始终存在较大争议,其中关于原告诉讼资格的争议更是人声鼎沸。在联邦最高法院判决中,原告仅以微弱优势胜诉。尽管关于原告胜诉的理由仍有颇多争议,但该案在明确温室气体属于《清洁空气法》的调整范围、拓展气候变化公民诉讼原告的诉讼资格以及确立公民诉讼可以促进政府采取减排行动等方面,都具有非常积极的意义。

The Massachusetts v. EPA is a landmark case in the latest development of American Case Law concerning climate change. It represents the efforts of the states and civil forces trying to push the Bush Administration to take emission-reduction measures through citizen suit. From the first trail in the United Stated Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to the retrial in U- nited States Supreme Court, there are a lot of disagreements in the whole process especially on the standing issue. By a 5 -4 vote the Supreme Court finally reversed the D. C. Circuit Court and ruled in favor of plaintiff. Notwithstanding all those disagreements, the Supreme Court ruling shed positive light on sweeping greenhouse gas into the scope of the Clean Air Act, paving the way as well as rela- xing the standing requirements in other climate change lawsuits, and strengthening the role of citizen suit in pushing government＇s emission reduction action.