皇冠体育app plants trees to tackle climate change

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-09-17 22:40

BEIJING: 皇冠体育app has afforested land of over one million Mu (66,000 hectares) with money from the 皇冠体育app Green Carbon Fund, said a forest administration official Thursday.

The fund was established in July 2007 by the State Forestry Administration (SFA) and the 皇冠体育app Green Foundation, as a countermeasure to address climate change through afforestation.

Li Nuyun, deputy director of the Afforestation Department of SFA, said "One way to tackle climate change is to reduce emission of green house gases, and the other is to increase forestry coverage, sometimes the latter one is more effective."

Forests absorb carbon dioxide, the major contributor to global warming, and release oxygen.

Through donating money to the fund, companies and individuals could erase their carbon footprints and deposit carbon credits.

Li Nuyun said so far the 皇冠体育app National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) was the largest donator, with a donation of 300 million yuan ($43.9 million).

"Besides, there are over one thousand citizens who donated money to the fund," said Li Nuyun.

She said, "In Beijing, every 1000 yuan ($146.4) they donated for planting trees could help absorb 5.6 to 8.6 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent."

Li talked about the 皇冠体育app Green Carbon Fund at the Fifth 皇冠体育app International Forum on Environment and Development.

The forum was co-hosted here Thursday by Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) and United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), and organized by All 皇冠体育app Enviroment Federation.

The forum has been successfully conducted for four years with the aim of creating a platform for international organizations, Chinese government agencies, private sectors and NGOs to discuss issues related to environmental protection.