capacities, including promoting research and systematic observation in areas beyond national jurisdiction; and - Develop and implement education, training and public awareness programmes on climate change and its effects to promote and facilitate scientific, technical and managerial skills as well as public access to information, public awareness of and participation in addressing climate change. Notwithstanding the effectiveness of any strengthened international response to the climate change crisis, a certain amount of climate change is already observed and further climate change will be inevitable due to the slow response (or inertia) of the climate system to changes in the concentration of GHGs in the atmosphere. Therefore South Africa will have to adapt to these impacts by managing its climate and weather related risks, reducing its vulnerability and increasing the resilience of our society and economy to the adverse effects of climate change and variability: The stabilisation of GHG concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that prevents dangerous interference with the climate system requires the implementation of a sufficiently ambitious and effective global agreement on GHG emission reductions. In this context, as a responsible global citizen, and in keeping with its developing country status, its capability and its share of responsibility for the problem, South Africa is committed to making a fair contribution to the global effort to reduce GHG emissions. At the same time, the country must ensure that the necessary climate change-related investments contribute to building South Africa's future economic competitiveness and economic growth and contribute to its over-riding national priorities for sustainable development, job creation, improving public and environmental health and poverty eradication; and That although there will be costs associated with South Africa's adaptation and GHG emission reduction efforts, there will also be significant short and long-term social and economic benefits, including improved international competitiveness, that will result from a transition to a lower-carbon economy and society. Furthermore, various economic studies have shown that the costs of early action will be far