Young people consider terrorism the most important issue the world currently faces, a BBC poll has revealed.

Terrorism was followed by education in second place, AIDS in third and hunger in fourth.

The survey of more than 3,000 teenagers found that just 14 per cent think US action in Iraq and Afghanistan is making the world a safer place.

And 17 per cent of participants said they would consider taking action that might result in the death of innocent people.

The poll suggests there is a widespread lack of awareness of climate change and unwillingness to take action to reduce it.

Only 51 per cent of the teenagers understand what climate change is, while 17 per cent have never heard of it.

More than half of 15 to 17-year-olds polled are not prepared to lower their living standards to reduce the effects of climate change.

Sixty-four per cent of the young people interviewed said they would emigrate to secure a better future for themselves.

And a whopping 14 per cent said they would even risk their lives to reach another country.

Half of the young people surveyed believe immigrants should integrate, adopting the culture of their new country, but 38 per cent say they should keep apart, maintaining their own culture and beliefs.

For the polled 15 to 17-year-olds, education is critical. More than half believe education or getting a job to be the most important issues for them personally.

Three-quarters think their education has prepared them for the future but a massive 72 per cent worry about finding a good job.

Nearly one in five would consider cheating to get into university, while 6 per cent admit they would consider stealing something they could not afford.

Forty-six per cent are in favour of the death penalty and 27 per cent say they would feel safer if they carried a weapon.

The BBC poll also discovered that 86 per cent believe in God or a higher being.

Just over a third would marry a person of a different religion.

Religion is more important than science for 59 per cent of participants.

Sixty-six per cent view religion as a force for good, although 20 per cent see religion as a source of conflict.

Teenagers from Baghdad, Cairo, Jakarta, Lagos, London, Moscow, Nairobi, New Delhi, New York and Rio took part in the study.