UK Floods Linked to Warming

(NEWSER) - Britain and the Netherlands are bracing for massive flooding tomorrow as a huge storm in the North Sea churns its way to the coast, BBC reports. The entire coast is under alert for the first time in three decades, says the Dutch Transport Ministry. The storm surge is expected to peak around dawn, prompting thousands of evacuations in affected areas, the Guardian notes. More»

Labels will allow consumers to compare

(NEWSER) - Calories, fat, sodium ... carbon footprint? The new measurement may soon appear on British product packaging. Under a plan proposed yesterday, the government will develop standards to measure a product's environmental impact from manufacture through shipment and disposal, allowing companies to list the information as they do nutrition facts. Consumers can then decide how green they want their goods. More»

'Yes for Scotland' campaign targets 2014 vote

(NEWSER) - Supporters of Scottish independence are about to officially kick off their campaign to end the country's 305-year-old marriage to England and Wales. The "Yes for Scotland" drive is being spearheaded by Scottish National Party leader Alex Salmond, whose party won a majority in Scottish elections last years, reports Reuters . His party wants the independence referendum to be held in 2014, on the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn, in which a small force led by Robert the Bruce defeated a much bigger English force. More»

David Cameron wants you to have to 'opt in' with your ISP

(NEWSER) - British Prime Minister David Cameron is considering a move forcing Internet service providers to block all porn unless users specifically request it, the Guardian reports, in a move likely to be vigorously opposed by the ISPs, free speech groups, and teenagers sneaking onto their parents' computers. Cameron will consult on the options for filtering out porn in the coming weeks. The push comes following a parliamentary inquiry into the harmful effects of online pornography on children. More»

Three reports say rising seas endanger continental US

(NEWSER) - Coastal states are now twice as likely to experience a so-called once-in-a-century flood by 2030, thanks to a global warming-fueled rise in sea levels, according to a trio of reports released today. Census data shows 5 million people are in the danger zone, particularly in cities, where many people live below the four-foot mark. South Florida in particular has 106 such municipalities and is basically "indefensible," because it's built on "bedrock that's like Swiss cheese," Ben Strauss, author of one report, tells Reuters . More»