The voting age should be lowered to 16 to allow young people the chance to vote on their future, a think tank has urged.
It is urging the age be lowered to allow people to have a say in the face of the climate change crisis.
Today's younger generations - and those of the future - are facing a "toxic inheritance" of environmental crises caused by the environmental crisis, the loss of wildlife and damage to the oceans and soils, a report from IPPR warned.
The report is calling for votes at 16, as is already the case for Holyrood and local elections in Scotland, to give a voice to those who will face the consequences of what older generations are doing to the world and give them a say on their future, Coventry Live reports.
It also calls for a "Future Generations Act" which would provide a formal legal recognition of the right of future generations to live in a world with a stable environment, and make sure policy-making takes that into account.
And it wants to see greater value given to environmental projects which have long-term benefits for future generations in the process of making public investment decisions.
The report came as global climate strikes took place on Friday, when children and students across the UK walked out of lessons and lectures to call for urgent action from politicians to tackle the climate and wildlife crises.
One of the demands of the climate strikers is to lower the voting age to 16, in recognition they have the greatest stake in the future.
Luke Murphy, Head of IPPR's Environmental Justice Commission, said: "Current and future generations face a toxic inheritance as a consequence of environmental breakdown.
"Political leaders and policymakers must recognise the duty they owe to the next and future generations.
"Crucially, they must act to protect them by giving legal recognition to their rights and by giving them a voice in our political system."
