Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Buyelwa Sonjica and Australian Trade Minister Simon Crean on Friday signed a letter of intent that would frame future bilateral cooperation on climate change matters.

Australia and South Africa have been cooperating on climate change matters under a climate change partnership since 2006.

Signing the letter of intent formalised continuing cooperation under this partnership, which has helped build a constructive relationship through the implementation of practical and co-beneficial projects.

In responding to the challenges of climate change faced by both countries, Australia and South Africa have agreed to identify, develop and implement a further programme of joint activities, focusing on: economic instruments to address climate change; climate change impacts and adaptation in the agriculture sector; climate change and biodiversity; and greenhouse gas emissions reporting and monitoring at national and entity levels.

It was also agreed that Australia and South Africa would exchange experiences and lessons learned on climate change policies and measures, with a particular focus on clean-coal technologies and regulatory and institutional frameworks.

Both countries were heavily reliant on coal resources for the provision of energy and electricity, which, with its significant carbon-dioxide emissions, was viewed as one of the major areas where emissions reductions were needed.

Earlier on Friday, Crean visited Giyani Primary School in Diepkloof, Soweto, where Australian miner BHP Billiton, which operates in South Africa, has planted trees at the school, and is supporting the school soccer teams as a part of the company's corporate social investment programme.

Crean encouraged Australian business to get involved with local communities and emphasised that enhancing community links, as well as economic and business links, added value to bilateral relations.

He added that care for the environment and sustainability were key, and said that the two countries would work together to strengthen collaborations on the bigger issue of climate change.