Jewish groups and a holocaust survivor have condemned a politician for making a shock comparison between climate change sceptics and holocaust deniers.

Caroline Lucas, the Green MEP for the South East, issued a statement saying those who question the science behind climate change are akin to those who maintain there was no "ethnic cleansing" by the Nazis during the 1930s and 1940s.

Her stance has been widely condemned by those who work hard to teach people about the horrors of the holocaust.

Dr Lucas said when the media try to present a balanced view of climate change they are as bad as those who shamelessly assert that eight million people were not killed during the holocaust.

She said: "The media's attempt to seem balanced is in fact distorting the public's understanding of perhaps the most pressing issue facing us all today - and it's tragic. It doesn't make any sense: would the media insist on having a holocaust-denier to balance any report about the Second World War?

"Of course not - but by insisting on giving so much airtime to climate change deniers, it is doing exactly the same thing."

Holocaust survivor Jan Imich, 78, of Hove, called for Dr Lucas to apologise.

He said: "It is the most ridiculous statement I have heard for a long time. The holocaust has been so well documented that people who deny that are just deranged people, whereas as far as climate is concerned, I personally don't think it has been proven beyond reasonable doubt.

"To compare something like climate which is of course very important to the holocaust as far as I am concerned is just beyond belief."

Mr Imich hid from the Nazis with a family friend in Krakow in Poland but was discovered at 13 and imprisoned, beaten severely and used for scientific experiments.

Tom Wye, former Mayor of Worthing who helps organise the town's Holocaust Memorial Day, said Dr Lucas' comparison was "diabolical".

Councillor Wye served in Bosnia with the Royal Engineers and saw first hand the effects of genocide against Muslims, with whole towns and villages devastated.

He said: "It is a diabolical statement to compare the holocaust with climate change, which is being debated. I do believe it is happening, but there is a debate going on with top scientists in the world.

"There is no debate going along as to what happened in the holocaust. I think it is a terrible comparison to make.

"She belittles the whole argument about climate change. I feel quite passionately about Holocaust Memorial Day. Comparing that to climate change beggars belief."

Aubrey Cole, the chairman of the Brighton and Hove branch of the Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women, said: "It is wrong to relate one to the other. People are very concerned about the holocaust.

"There is no connection between the two."

Dr Lucas last night spoke out to defend her comments but apologised if she had caused any upset.

She said: "The last thing I wanted to do was offend anyone with experience of the holocaust and I apologise if I did.

"I did realise I was using sensitive language by using the line but I wanted to send over a clear message about the disaster I feel we are heading towards.

"We are sleepwalking towards catastrophe and we are talking about millions of people dying all over the world.

"As long as there is no urgency we are not going to get the political response we need to deal with this if we don't do anything about it now."

Dr Lucas was named Politician of the Year in the recent Observer Ethical Awards 2007.

Her previous press gaffes have included a statement that the proposed link road between Hastings and Bexhill was an ill-planned proposal to "widen the A27". The A27 actually ends several miles away.

What do you think? Should any action be taken against Dr Lucas for her remarks? Leave your comments below.

Read what environmental correspondent, Sarah Lewis thinks about the issue in her blog.