Challenges to environmental litigation posed by emerging contaminants and possible strategies

Emerging contaminants (ECs), with continuously expanding list, exert a significant impact on the environment and are increasingly becoming a subject of environmental litigation. They present various challenges to the environmental damage assessment processes involved in such litigation. Based on several typical cases, this work identifies the challenges encountered at each stage of environmental damage assessment and proposes potential strategies to address them. The strategies are categorized into four types: (i) conducting fundamental research to produce accurate data and establish background knowledge regarding sources and potential targets; (ii) sharing publicly recognized datasets, models, and other information, with regular updates; (iii) standardizing advanced technical methods, including the screening, identification, and quantification of ECs in the environment; and (iv) providing specific regulations and financial support for typical case studies while facilitating information sharing.