#1181: WG New Spec: Web Sustainability Guidelines

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Opened Dec 17, 2025

Specification

https://www.w3.org/TR/web-sustainability-guidelines/

Explainer

https://github.com/w3c/sustainableweb-wsg/blob/main/explainer.md

Links

  • The WG's request for this TAG review: Got group consensus in meeting of 11 December 2025 (minutes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mDp2Ao_FaurV4GCVkoYFz2NtgYhmeRAjYLKvqMAIEbk/edit?tab=t.0) <!-- If the WG didn't express consensus to ask the TAG for a review, use the "Other Specification Review" template instead, at https://github.com/w3ctag/design-reviews/issues/new?template=015-other-spec-review.yaml. This is usually a deep link into minutes or an email thread. -->
  • Previous early design review, if any: n/a
  • An introduction to the feature, aimed at unfamiliar audiences: https://w3c.github.io/sustainableweb-wsg/glance.html <!-- Can be the specification's or explainer's introduction, or another section. -->
  • A description of the problems that end-users were facing before this proposal: https://www.w3.org/TR/web-sustainability-guidelines/#background-on-wsg <!-- See https://w3ctag.github.io/explainer-explainer/#end-user-need -->
  • Alternatives considered: n/a <!-- See https://w3ctag.github.io/explainer-explainer/#alternatives -->
  • Examples of how to use the proposal to solve the end-users' problems: https:// <!-- See https://w3ctag.github.io/explainer-explainer/#describe-proposal -->
  • What do the end-users experience with this proposal: n/a <!-- See https://w3ctag.github.io/explainer-explainer/#describe-proposal -->
  • User research you did to validate the problem and/or design, if any: no specific user research, but globally, there is a wide range of laws and policies around digital sustainability. We list them here: https://w3c.github.io/sustainableweb-wsg/policies.html
  • Web Platform Tests: there are no Web Platform Tests, we do consider testability in our section on measurability. <!-- Or other tests if this is not a web platform feature. -->

The specification

  • Follows the Web Platform Design Principles. <br>Not applicable, because not a web platform feature.
  • Includes Security and Privacy Considerations sections based on answers to the Security/Privacy Questionnaire. <br>We have the relevant sections and list related criteria in them, but the sections are not specifically based on the questionnaire.

Where and by whom is the work is being done?

  • GitHub repo: https://github.com/w3c/sustainableweb-wsg/
  • Primary contacts:
    • Alexander Dawson (@AlexDawsonUK), Invited Expert, lead editor
    • Rose Newell (@codewordcreative), Invited Expert, editor
    • Ines Akrap (@ines-akrap), Invited Expert, co-chair
    • Tim Frick (@timfrick), Invited Expert, co-chair
    • Mike Gifford (@mgifford), Invited Expert, co-chair
    • Tzviya Siegman (@TzviyaSiegman), W3C, staff contact
  • Organization/project driving the specification: n/a
  • This work is being funded by: n/a
  • Primary standards group developing this feature: Web Sustainability Interest Group
  • Incubation and standards groups that have discussed the design:

Feedback so far

  • Active horizontal reviews:
  • Multi-stakeholder feedback:
    • Chromium comments: n/a (not a browser feature)
    • Mozilla comments: n/a (not a browser feature) <!-- And/or other places they've given feedback -->
    • WebKit comments: n/a (not a browser feature) <!-- And/or other places they've given feedback -->
    • Informally we have had feedback from Green Software Foundation, Green Web Foundation, B Labs, ARCEP (Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques, des Postes et de la Distribution de la Presse).
  • Major unresolved issues with or opposition to this specification: none at the moment
  • Status/issue trackers for implementations: n/a (not a browser feature) <!-- Include links to [Chrome Status](https://chromestatus.com/), [Mozilla's](https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/), [WebKit's Bugzilla](https://bugs.webkit.org/), and trackers for other implementations if those are known to you. -->

You should also know that...

We are looking for feedback by February, we aim to publish in April.

Other comments that may be relevant:

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