The top court and procuratorate jointly issued an interpretation on the conviction and sentencing standards of criminal cases involving environmental pollution on Tuesday.

Experts said the interpretation will provide "legal weapons" to combat such crimes.

"At present, environmental pollution is very serious across the country, which seriously harms the ecological environment, and poses a great threat to people's health and property safety," Hu Yunteng, director of the research department under the Supreme People's Court, said during a news conference on Tuesday.