Angelina Jolie, U2's Bono, Leonardo DiCaprio, CNN founder Ted Turner, billionaire businessman Richard Branson, World Bank president Robert Zoellick and UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon are expected in Durban on Tuesday.

They will join actor and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, former US vice-president Al Gore, New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and a number of heads of state at the UN 17th Conference of Parties (Cop17), which will run from Monday to December 9.

A list of confirmed A-list celebrities has not been released.

Jolie will attend the conference in her capacity as a UN goodwill ambassador.

Durban city council speaker Logie Naidoo yesterday confirmed DiCaprio's attendance.

DiCaprio, a passionate environmentalist who drives a hybrid car, highlighted the issue of global warming by producing, co-writing and narrating the documentary 11th Hour.

Some parts of King Shaka International Airport will be limited to COP17 visitors to reduce overcrowding when an expected 15000 delegates and 10000 observers arrive in Durban.

A strong police presence, mounted on bicycles and on foot, is expected.