Clinton opens Stones concert with global warming lecture

Bill Clinton has opened a concert by the Rolling Stones with a speech about raising awareness on global warming.

Speaking at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles, he said it was up to average citizens to "stop the planet from burning up."

His talk was followed by a set by the Stones, including Start Me Up, Street Fighting Man and You Got Me Rocking.

Clinton said: "The reason this concert is important, is that the old energy economy that's cheating us as a planet is very well organised, highly centralised, rich as can be and very well politically connected.

"And the new energy future is decentralised, entrepreneurial and needs people like you to say 'Give me a clean car, give me solar shingles to put on my roof - give me a clean future'."

The concert was organized by the Natural Resources Defence Council, a non-profit activist group.