Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan called on ecologists Friday to further improve the study of environmental protection and help create an environmentally friendly social atmosphere as the World Earth Day falls on April 22 for the 36th time.
  
At the founding ceremony of the China environmental protection federation, Zeng said many achievements have been scored in the past years in improving the ecological environment, but arduous tasks remain ahead for environmental protection as China's urbanization steps up.
  
The federation, with many experts on environmental protection, should further investigate and study major problems on ecological development and offer better consultation to the government, he said.
  
Zeng also asked the federation to take an active part in publicizing environmental protection concepts in the public to create a social atmosphere of caring, building and protecting the environment and playing a role in global sustainable development by pushing forward international exchange and cooperation. 

(Xinhua News Agency April 23, 2005)