《民法典》1232条环境侵权惩罚性赔偿中 “故意”的认定

The Determination of “Intent” in Punitive Damages for Ecological and Environmental Torts under Article 1232 of the Civil Code

摘要: 《民法典》第1232条在生态环境侵权领域确立惩罚性赔偿制度，“故意”作为核心主观构成要件，是区分普通环境侵权与惩罚性赔偿责任的关键要素，决定着制度适用的正当性与边界。当前司法实践中，“故意”的认定存在范围有争议、内涵模糊、司法适用标准不完善等现实难点，同案不同判现象突出，严重影响环境侵权惩罚性赔偿功能的发挥。结合《最高人民法院关于审理生态环境侵权纠纷案件适用惩罚性赔偿的解释》相关规定，参照典型裁判案例，排除“重大过失”的适用；通过区分“直接故意”和“间接故意”的形态进一步明确“故意”的规范内涵；以优化举证责任分配、全面激活推定规则、建立类型化的裁判标准、强制说理规范裁量权的方式完善“故意”的司法适用标准，推动“故意”认定标准统一化、司法适用规范化，保障生态环境侵权惩罚性赔偿的适用。

Abstract: Article 1232 of the Civil Code establishes the punitive damages system in the field of ecological and environmental torts for the first time. As the core subjective constituent element, “intent” is the key factor distinguishing ordinary environmental tort liability from punitive damages liability, and determines the legitimacy and boundary of the system’s application. In current judicial practice, the determination of “intent” faces practical difficulties such as controversial scope, ambiguous connotation, and imperfect judicial application standards. The prominent phenomenon of inconsistent judgments in similar cases has seriously undermined the function of punitive damages in environmental torts. Combined with the relevant provisions of the “Interpretation of the Supreme People’s Court on the Application of Punitive Damages in the Trial of Ecological and Environmental Tort Dispute Cases” and with reference to typical judicial precedents, the application of “gross negligence” shall be excluded. The normative connotation of “intent” shall be further clarified by distinguishing between the forms of “direct intent” and “indirect intent”. The judicial application standards for “intent” shall be improved by optimizing the allocation of burden of proof, fully activating presumption rules, establishing typed adjudication standards, and standardizing discretion through mandatory reasoning, so as to promote the unification of determination standards and the standardization of judicial application of “intent”, and guarantee the application of punitive damages in ecological and environmental torts.