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A group of children in Austria are taking the government to court saying it needs to do more to tackle climate change.

The twelve children, aged between 5 and 16, are taking legal action against the Austrian government saying it needs to take tougher action on climate change to protect their rights.

A lawyer for the group said the case, which was submitted to Austria's top court on Tuesday, is based on a similar claim in Germany which bought about change to the country's climate law.

Michaela Kroemer said Austria's climate law from 2011 does not sufficiently protect her young clients from the life-threatening consequences of global warming.

Ms Kroemer said the case is being backed by the youth climate group Fridays For Future - the movement begun in part by activist Greta Thunberg - and financially supported by donations.

The Austrian legal action is modelled on a similar case in Germany.

After nine youth climate activists bought the case to court, Germany's supreme court ruled that the country's climate law is must be changed and ordered the government to create clear emissions reduction targets after 2030.

There have been other successful cases in Netherlands and Columbia.

Across the world many children have tried to hold their governments to account.

A group of children in Portugal who bought their case to the European Court of Human Rights have had their case referred to the 17-judge Grand Chamber, an important court to which only the most serious cases go.

Their case argues that governments in 33 European countries - including the UK - have not done enough to prevent the impact of climate change.