Live Earth concert to boost solar energy

India will host the next Live Earth concert to raise funds for lighting homes with solar energy in places where people do not have access to electricity, organisers said.

The December event will see rocker Jon Bon Jovi and Bollywood's biggest superstar, Amitabh Bachchan share the stage, and is described by organizers as one of the biggest events held in India.

The concert will be held in India's financial capital Mumbai on December 7, Live Earth founder Kevin Wall said in Mumbai.

"(Former Vice President) Al Gore asked me whether we could do this in India, and I said yes," Mr Wall said, adding: "This is going to be huge."

"Jon Bon Jovi is just one name and Mr Bachchan is just one name, but there will be a lot of international artists," he said.

Mr Wall, who organised a series of concerts last year with the former vice-president, said the event in India would be telecast live in more than 100 countries.

The proceeds from the concert will go to the Light A Billion Lives campaign, supported by Nobel Prize-winner Rajendra Pachauri, the chairman of the UN Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

At least 1.6 billion people worldwide do not have access to electricity, Rajendra Pachauri said, adding that the campaign would target villages in countries like India, Myanmar, Pakistan, Ethiopia and Malawi.

Organisers said they would set up giant screens and distribute televisions in remote villagers for the concert.