Exploration of the Governmental Responsibility in Environmental Pollution Liability Insurance

Abstract

In our modern society, environmental pollution triggered by economic development has been increasingly brought to the forefront, and remedies for environmental torts have been more and more diversified with each passing day. Being called as a “green insurance”, the environmental pollution liability insurance is an important means of identifying the responsibility of compensation for environmental damage through a socialized way. With its unique advantages in preventing environmental pollution and timely compensation compared with other solutions, environmental pollution liability insurance has been widely adopted in western developed countries. As newborn in China, it is now pilot projects in several provinces. Featured with commercial and policy-based insurances, environmental pollution liability insurance has provided governments a powerful tool to manage social risks by the market mechanism. However, its distinctiveness asks the government to define the responsibilities of the insurance, thus its smooth development and due role can be ensured.