China hears over 1 million environmental cases in five years

Chinese courts have accepted and heard over 1.08 million environmental and resource cases during the past five years, the Supreme People's Court said on Tuesday.

To strengthen the rule-of-law in environmental governance, the top court in June 2014 established an adjudication tribunal to guide nationwide trials involving environmental and resource disputes.

The court has issued eight judicial documents – which focus on the high-quality development of the economy, protecting the air, water and soil, and improving watershed management in key regions – to guide courts around the country.

"We adhere to the principle that crimes and punishments are prescribed by law strictly, and intensify punishment for crimes that pollute the environment or destroy the ecology," said Jiang Bixin, vice-president of the top court.

Courts at various levels have since 2014 accepted and heard 113,379 criminal and 776,658 civil environmental cases.

The courts adhered to the principle that offenders take responsibility for damages.

Another 191,074 administrative trials involving government departments that haven't performed their environmental regulatory functions were also heard.

The top court has guided courts at all levels to establish specialized adjudication organs on environmental and resource cases, including tribunals, detached courts or collegiate benches, and specialized judicial teams, according to Jiang.

By June 2019, China had 1,201 environmental and resource judicial organs, including 352 tribunals, 779 collegiate benches and 70 circuit courts.

Of the high people's courts throughout the country, 23 have established tribunals, and the rest have designated collegiate benches to take charge of the guidance and hearing of such cases.

We have established a consultation team for environmental and resource cases comprising 65 experts, who played a significant role in drafting judicial policies and interpretations, as well as providing advice and conducting academic exchanges, Jiang said.