Whoever pollutes pays" Zhejiang Province ushered in a system of compensation for damage to the ecological environment

Global Coatings Network News:

At the end of last year, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council issued the "Eco-environmental Damage Compensation System Reform Plan" and issued a notice requiring all regions and departments to implement it in light of actual conditions.

Under one of the following circumstances, the compensation liability for ecological environmental damage will be investigated in accordance with the requirements of the implementation plan:

1.
Major environmental emergencies or above occur;

2.
The occurrence of environmental pollution or ecological destruction incidents in key ecological function zones and prohibited development zones defined in the national and provincial main function zone plans;

3.
Environmental pollution or ecological destruction incidents occur within the land area of ​​the red line of ecological protection in Zhejiang Province;

4.
Suspected of environmental pollution crime, causing serious damage to the ecological environment;

5.
Occurrence of other consequences that seriously affect the ecological environment.

What is the scope of compensation?

The scope of compensation for ecological environmental damage includes clean up costs, ecological environment restoration costs, loss of service functions during ecological environment restoration, losses caused by permanent damage to ecological environment functions, ecological environment damage compensation investigation, appraisal, and other reasonable expenses, as well as laws and regulations.
Other related expenses for restoration of ecological environment damage.

Who can claim damages?

According to the "Plan", the Zhejiang Provincial Government and the municipal governments are the right holders of compensation for damages to the ecological environment in the administrative area.
Trans-city damage to the ecological environment is under the jurisdiction of the provincial government.
The damage to the ecological environment in the city shall be under the jurisdiction of each city government.

How to make compensation?

After investigation, the compensation right holder can negotiate with the compensation obligor and reach a compensation agreement based on the ecological environment damage appraisal report.

Zhejiang Province stated that in 2018, it will pilot the ecological environment damage compensation system in the whole province.
In 2019, we will establish and improve the ecological environment damage assessment, consultation, litigation, restoration, and fund management system, and carry out the exploration and practice of ecological environment damage compensation.

In 2020, an ecological damage compensation system with clear responsibilities, unobstructed channels, technical specifications, strong guarantees, adequate compensation in place, and effective restoration will be initially established.