'Climate change' is a phrase that's been around for as long as I remember, and it won't be going away anytime soon.

Everybody claims to know what it means and to know the effects but here are the dangers.

Some animals are likely to become extinct due to global warming. The Intergovernmental Panel on climate change says a 1.5°C change will put 30pc of species at risk. A more than 3°C change will put the majority of ecosystems at risk.

As well as huge risks for animals, there are great risks to humans too. Changes in precipitation, decreasing or increasing, can cause events such as droughts, flooding and even hurricanes. Climate change can also help spread disease; winter temperatures over the world are increasing, meaning that ticks and mosquitos that carry deadly diseases survive longer throughout the year.

Climate change is also a very local issue as the Norfolk Broads could be wiped out within 100 years!

This is because of the Antarctica and Greenland ice sheets melting faster than previously thought, causing flooding. This could also lead to super storms that would threaten our coast line, with more people moving to the coast every year, the danger level is only increasing.

I don't think young people are as worried about this issue as they need to be.

Whether that is because of lack of coverage and information or due to a lack of interest, I am unsure. This is a topic that shouldn't need persuasion to care about as it affects us all and our futures.

There are so many things us as young people can do to help decrease the rate of climate change, some simple tips to follow are:

• Turning lights off

• Recycling wherever possible

• Using public transport

• Watching water usage

None of these are too difficult to follow, so why should you ignore them?

What else can we all do to combat climate change? Comment below.

Max Tofts, 16, Hardingham