Chinese senior leader on Friday stressed the importance of afforestation as a key way of tackling the climate change brought by environmental deterioration.

The Chinese government issued its first national action plan addressing the issue of climate change on June 4.

At the founding ceremony of a "green carbon fund", Chinese top political advisor Jia Qinglin urged the work staff with the fund to study the central government's guidelines and polices on environmental protection and climate change.

He also called for planting more trees and developing biological energy resources.

The new green carbon fund, under the management of China Green Foundation, will mainly mobilize enterprises, organizations and individuals to join tree planting and other forest protection activities.

China National Petroleum Corporation, the first donator, offered the fund 30 million yuan (US$3.9 million) for afforestation.

(Xinhua News Agency July 21, 2007)