自然资源资产基本法律属性阐释——兼及“环境法典”编纂中自然资源之立法

Interpretation of the Basic Legal Attributes of Natural Resources Assets:Also on the Legislation of Natural Resources in the Compilation of“Environmental Code”

自然资源既是环境、生态的重要组成部分,也是人类赖以生存和发展的重要物质来源。健全自然资源资产产权制度是生态文明建设、全面依法治国、国家治理体系和治理能力现代化的重要任务,其逻辑起点是厘清自然资源资产的基本法律属性。自然资源资产即资产性自然资源,虽然不是自然资源的全部但却是自然资源的本原存在。基于人类生存和发展对于自然资源的依存关系,自然资源资产的基本法律属性体现为三个递进式层次:其一为财产,其二为物,其三为不动产。凡属自然资源资产均为天然生成,对人类而言具有价值性、可支配性和稀缺性;之于文明社会而言,从维持人类生存的基本材料向创造社会财富的生产原料的转化,基于其自身的土地附生性乃成为不动产的基本形态。包括《民法典》在内的现行法律仍缺乏对自然资源资产基本法律属性的明确规定,未来可考虑编纂“环境法典”时,以自然资源作为环境、生态及资产的基本法律属性为依据,对自然资源资产的基本法律属性予以规定,以期有利于形成科学的自然资源资产法规范体系。

Natural resources are not only an important component of the environment and ecology,but also a crucial material source for human survival and development.Establishing a sound system for natural resource asset property rights is an important task in building ecological civilization,comprehensively governing the country according to law,modernizing the national governance system and capacity.The logical starting point is to clarify the basic legal attributes of natural resource assets.Natural resource assets do not encompass all natural resources but represent their fundamental existence.Based on humanity’s dependence on natural resources for survival and development,the basic legal attributes of natural resource assets can be categorized into three progressive levels:firstly as property,secondly as objects or things,and thirdly as immovable property.All natural resource assets are naturally generated and have value,disposability,and scarcity from a human perspective.In civilized societies,they transform from being essential materials for sustaining human life to becoming productive raw materials that create social wealth;thus assuming the basic form of immovable property due to their inherent attachment to land.Existing laws including the Civil Code still lack clear provisions regarding the basic legal attributes of natural resource assets.In future considerations such as compiling an“Environmental Code”,it would be beneficial to establish regulations based on the fundamental legal attributes of natural resources as related to environment,ecology,and assets in order to develop a scientific regulatory framework for natural resource asset management.