The System of Compensation for Eco-Environmental Damage

The system of compensation for eco-environmental damage is an important component of the system of institutions for building an eco-civilization. The central authorities have used compensation as a tool of remedy to assist with eco-environmental conservation.

The 18th CPC Central Committee, at its third plenary session in 2013, decided to adopt such a system to make those responsible pay for damage and hold offenders accountable for criminal acts.

From 2015 to 2017, pilots were carried out in some provinces and cities, and in 2018, the system was rolled out nationwide.

The 19th CPC Central Committee, at its fourth plenary session in 2019, announced the decision to implement the eco-compensation system, and the systems of compensation and lifelong accountability for eco-environmental damage.

The system of compensation for eco-environmental damage has clear provisions about the scope of application, the parties responsible, the claimants, the channels of payment, damage identification and evaluation, relevant technologies, funding guarantees and operational mechanisms. The implementation of the system helps raise the efficiency of damage payment and eco-environmental recovery.

Previously, when the environment was polluted by an enterprise, it was the people who suffered and the government who had to pay for the pollution. This new system now provides institutional guarantee for protecting the people's environmental rights and interests, and meets their growing desire for a pleasant eco-environment.

A sound system of compensation for eco-environmental damage is an important part of the reform to build an eco-civilization. It is also part of the strictest possible systems for ecological and environmental protection practiced in China.

生態環境損害賠償制度

生態環境損害賠償制度是生態文明制度體系的重要組成部分。中共中央、國務院高度重視生態環境損害賠償工作。2013年11月，中共十八屆三中全會《決定》提出，對造成生態環境損害的責任者嚴格實行賠償制度，依法追究刑事責任。2015年11月，中共中央辦公廳、國務院辦公廳印發《生態環境損害賠償制度改革試點方案》，部署生態環境損害賠償制度改革工作。在此基礎上，2017年12月，中共中央辦公廳、國務院辦公廳印發《生態環境損害賠償制度改革方案》，標志著生態環境損害賠償制度改革從先行試點進入全國試行的新階段。2019年10月，中共十九屆四中全會《決定》進一步提出，落實生態補償和生態環境損害賠償制度，實行生態環境損害責任終身追究制。

生態環境損害賠償制度，明確生態環境損害賠償范圍、責任主體、索賠主體和損害賠償解決途徑，形成相應的鑒定評估管理和技術體系、資金保障和運行機制，不斷提高生態環境損害賠償和修復的效率，為破解“企業污染、群眾受害、政府買單”的不合理局面，切實維護人民群眾環境權益，滿足人民日益增長的優美生態環境需要提供堅實制度保障。建立健全生態環境損害賠償制度，是生態文明體制改革的重要內容，是實行最嚴格的生態環境保護制度的具體實踐。