Application of Force Majeure in Eco-environmental Tort Liability
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54097/evsv5y79Keywords:
Eco-environmental Tort, Tort Liability, Force Majeure, ExemptionAbstract
Article 1230 of the China's Civil Code stipulates that the actor shall bear the burden of proof for any legal grounds for exemption or reduction of liability. However, except for China's Water Pollution Prevention and Control Law and China's Marine Environmental Protection Law, which explicitly designate force majeure as an exemption ground from tort liability in cases of water pollution and marine environmental pollution tort, other environmental protection laws do not provide for exemptions for eco-environmental tort liability, including force majeure. There is still disagreement in the academic community regarding whether Article 180 of the China's Civil Code applies to eco-environmental tort liability. By analyzing legal provisions, the impact of force majeure on the establishment of liability for eco-environmental tort, and the legal principles and policies governing force majeure, it is suggested that force majeure, as an exemption, should be conditionally applicable to eco-environmental tort liability.
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