polluter pays principle
puh-LOO-ter PAYZ PRIN-suh-pul
pəˈluːtər peɪz ˈprɪnsɪpəlListen
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Dictionary meaning
a foundational principle of environmental law and economics holding that those who produce pollution or environmental damage should bear the costs of managing it and compensating for its harm rather than externalising those costs onto the public or future generations; the principle is embodied in liability regimes, environmental taxes, carbon pricing, and cleanup obligations; it creates financial incentives for pollution prevention and aligns economic signals with environmental protection by internalising the true costs of production
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