Published: September 19, 2008 09:24 am      

Live Earth climate change concert heads to India

MUMBAI, India — Jon Bon Jovi and Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan will perform at this year's Live Earth concert, when the music extravaganza aimed at raising awareness of climate change heads to India.

Last year's Live Earth spanned four continents and 150 acts were performed over a 24-hour period. But organizers Al Gore and Kevin Wall decided this year to stage only one event in India, in the hopes of bringing their message to the developing world.

"India is not the country that created the climate crisis, but it is a developing nation and we need to open doors for local environmental organizations to create consciousness here," Wall, an Emmy-winning concert producer, told The Associated Press.

While China overtook the U.S. in carbon dioxide emissions in 2006, environmentalists worry about developing countries that struggle with more cars on already-choked city roads, greater demands for fuel and high pollution levels in rivers.

"India will be among the leading powers of the global economy in the coming decades," Gore said as he announced via satellite that the concert will be held in Mumbai in December. "India has a major role to play in leadership by example for the climate crisis and sustainable development."

The 2007 concert series raised concerns that the events would create trash and contribute to emissions. But Wall said the Live Earth team was committed to implementing last year's guidelines including recycling, minimizing waste, and using Indian lighting, staging and video companies to reduce waste in transportation.

The concert's proceeds will go to charities including Light A Billion Lives, a nonprofit organization headed by Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri, who shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with Gore for sounding the alarm on global warming.

The organization is installing solar power units in energy-starved Indian villages and aims to link understanding climate change with alleviating poverty.



Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.