THE hosting of the climate change conference in Durban was South Africa's humble contribution to the world, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe said.

Motlanthe was speaking after he completed a 3km walk with scores of people on the Durban beachfront yesterday.

The walk was aimed at showing support in finding solutions for climate change ahead of the start of 17th Conference of Parties (COP17) today.

Motlanthe was joined by KwaZulu-Natal Premier Zweli Mkhize and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa.

"I took part in this walk to show where the sea level might be as a result of climate change," Motlanthe said.

He said it was important for the climate change conference to come up with a legally binding agreement on what would have to be done to deal with climate change.

"We have to do everything we can to mitigate the disasters caused by climate change," he said.

Mkhize said climate change had the potential to affect the KwaZulu-Natal economy.

"An increase of this magnitude could inundate coastal areas, erode beaches and exacerbate coastal flooding."

The Inkatha Freedom Party said yesterday it was important to educate the general public about climate change and the purpose of COP17. The most prominent feature of climate change was an increase in the earth's surface temperature and changes to rainfall patterns, spokesman Henry Combrinck said .

He said extreme weather conditions such as floods and droughts would be likely to increase with the gases emitted when fossil fuels are burnt coupled with deforestation.

Combrinck said biodiversity, commercial farming and forestry would also be negatively affected by the water shortages associated with climate change. - Sapa