环境民事公益诉讼惩罚性赔偿的适用困境与规范进路

Application dilemma and normative approach of punitive compensation in environmental civil public interest litigation

通过对环境民事公益诉讼适用惩罚性赔偿的现实背景与理论逻辑进行分析,并围绕相关规范展开法教义学阐释,可知环境民事公益诉讼惩罚性赔偿制度具有坚实的适用基础。然而,立法的模糊规定导致实践中缺乏具体的法律指引,产生适用条件表述不清、惩罚性赔偿金数额难以确定以及惩罚性赔偿责任与其他金钱赔偿义务混淆等现实困境。因此,基于维护环境公共利益的需要和“过罚相当”原则,应通过明确惩罚性赔偿责任的适用条件、设定惩罚性赔偿金数额的合理标准以及厘清惩罚性赔偿金与行政罚款、刑事罚金的顺位关系来构建惩罚性赔偿在环境民事公益诉讼中的规范进路。

By analyzing the practical background and theoretical logic of the application of punitive damages in environmental civil public interest litigation,and conducting legal doctrinal interpretation around relevant norms,it can be concluded that the punitive damages system in environmental civil public interest litigation has a solid foundation for application.However,the vague provisions in legislation have led to a lack of specific legal guidance in practice,resulting in unclear expression of applicable conditions,difficulty in determining the amount of punitive damages,and confusion between punitive liability and other monetary compensation obligations.Therefore,based on the need to maintain the public interest of the environment and the principle of equivalent punishment,the normative approach of punitive damages in environmental civil public interest litigation should be constructed by clarifying the applicable conditions of punitive damages liability,setting reasonable standards for the amount of punitive damages and clarifying the relationship of punitive damages with administrative fines and criminal fines.