论环境侵权惩罚性赔偿的适用范围和条件

On Scope and Conditions of Application of Punitive Damages for Environmental Torts

《中华人民共和国民法典》第1232条引入了环境侵权惩罚性赔偿,加大了对生态环境保护的力度,但该制度也存在适用范围不清和适用条件不明确的问题。通过探讨最高人民法院最新颁布的《最高人民法院关于审理生态环境侵权纠纷案件适用惩罚性赔偿的解释》,发现该解释尚存在不足之处,环境侵权和侵害环境权的概念混淆、相关法律条文的表述不清,以及没有明确证明标准等,使得环境侵权惩罚性赔偿在实践适用中存在较大的裁量空间。文章提出环境侵权惩罚性赔偿的适用应当持审慎的态度,可通过司法解释等方式进一步明确环境侵权惩罚性赔偿更应当适用于环境私益诉讼当中,在自然人、法人或非法人组织将侵权人的行为违反环境与资源保护有关法律导致环境污染、生态破坏造成他人重伤、死亡或者财产重大损失的事实证明至高度可能性时方可适用。

Article 1232 of the Civil Code of the People’s Republic of China introduces punitive damages for environmental torts,which strengthens the protection of the ecological environment,but there are also problems of unclear scope and conditions of application of the system.By discussing the Interpretation of the Supreme People’s Court on the Application of Punitive Damages in the Trial of Cases of Eco-environmental Tort Disputes,it is found that there are still deficiencies in this interpretation,such as the confusion of the concepts of environmental torts and infringement of environmental rights,the unclear expression of relevant legal provisions,and the lack of standard of proof,etc.,which make the punitive damages for environmental torts have a lot of discretion in the practical application.It is proposed that the application of punitive damages for environmental torts should be cautious,and it can be further clarified through judicial interpretation that punitive damages for environmental torts should be applicable to environmental private interest litigation.Moreover,punitive damages for environmental torts can be applied only when the natural person,legal person or unincorporated organization proves to a high probability that the infringer’s behavior violates the laws related to environmental and resource protection,resulting in environmental pollution and ecological damage that causes serious injury,death or property loss of others.