Top court backs regional green justice

China's top court has urged judges in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province to improve legal services to support the region's coordinated development, placing emphasis on resolving disputes related to environmental conservation.

The Supreme People's Court highlighted the importance of fostering the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region by releasing five recent cases. It also called for stronger legal support to help the region become a leading hub in China's modernization efforts.

One case involved a vessel from a shipping company in Guangdong province that sank in the waters near Caofeidian district in Tangshan, Hebei, while carrying about 2.6 metric tons of light oil and 200 kilograms of engine oil, both classified as hazardous waste.

Because of the potential harm these substances could cause to the marine ecosystem in the Tianjin-Hebei area, and the serious threat they posed to fishing and navigation safety, prosecutors in Tangshan filed a civil public interest lawsuit with the Tianjin Maritime Court. They demanded that the company salvage the ship and remove environmental risks from the affected waters.

However, the maritime court noted that the company faced delays due to the challenges at hand. The sunken vessel weighed 2,263 tons and was deeply embedded in a mudflat, making salvage operations difficult.

"The salvage period also coincided with the fishing season, and could have easily disrupted fishermen's activities and compromised navigation safety," the court said.

It added that a substantial quantity of residual fuel on the vessel posed leakage risks and secondary pollution due to sea winds and tides, requiring stringent measures for oil extraction and pollution mitigation during the operation.

To prevent further environmental harm, the maritime court worked with the Tangshan procuratorate, the Caofeidian maritime bureau, and salvage and geological service companies to quickly assemble a team to conduct thorough research. Their goal was to achieve a "zero pollution" outcome in the oil spill cleanup operation.

Under the joint efforts of these departments, the ship was successfully salvaged in October last year without any oil leakage.

The top court praised the case as a prime example of judicial services protecting the marine environment in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, citing the maritime court's quick response and efficient handling of the matter.

In another case, four people were prosecuted for illegally catching nearly 200 kilograms of fish during a fishing ban in a reservoir that spans between Beijing and Hebei. Investigations found that their actions had harmed aquatic resources.

A court in Hebei found all four guilty of illegal fishing and sentenced them to short-term imprisonment. They were also required to issue a public apology and to purchase and release an equivalent value of the same type of fish fry into the reservoir to compensate for the damage caused to aquatic resources.

"This verdict has demonstrated the judicial commitment to environmental protection and showcased efforts in environmental restoration," the top court said.

"It is beneficial for promoting comprehensive environmental governance in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and fostering sustainable development," it added.