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Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
45
GRADE
F
FIX
7
REVIEW
6
PASS
0
INFO
0
Checks
13
6 REVIEW 7 FIX
F
Alt Text Quality
Action
29 of 34 images have issues
FIX
29 of 34 images have issues
Critical::
29 image(s) missing alt attribute
Images without alt text are invisible to screen readers.
Critical::
27 image-in-link without alt text
An image inside a link with no alt creates an empty link.
Info::
5 decorative image(s) correctly marked
34 images 5 decorative 29 missing
IssueCount
missing29 image(s)

Images without alt text are invisible to screen readers.

Why this matters

Each image without alt text is a WCAG 1.1.1 failure — invisible to screen-reader users, lost from Google Image Search.

Learn more ▾

WCAG 2.1 Level A requires text alternatives for non-decorative images. Empty alt='' is fine for decorative; meaningful images need descriptive text. Common fixes: CMS audit + bulk add, build-time linter (alt-text-required ESLint rule), CI gate on Lighthouse a11y score.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.1.1 / WebAIM Million Report

An image inside a link with no alt creates an empty link.

Why this matters

Image-only links with no alt create empty links — screen-reader users hear 'link' with no destination context.

Learn more ▾

An <a><img></a> with no img alt is the worst-case for accessibility: AT announces the link but can't describe where it goes. Either add alt to the image OR add aria-label to the link.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.4

D
Form Accessibility
Action
4 of 12 controls have issues
FIX
4 of 12 controls have issues
Critical::
3 control(s) without accessible label
Form controls need a <label>, aria-label, or aria-labelledby for screen readers.
Got: <input type="submit" name="_sf_submit">; <textarea name="g-recaptcha-response" id="g-recaptcha-response">; <textarea name="g-recaptcha-response" id="g-recaptcha-response-100000">
Warning::
1 control(s) rely on placeholder only
Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.
Got: <input type="email" name="fields[email]">
Info::
8 control(s) properly labeled
12 controls
8 labeled
1 placeholder only
3 unlabeled
ControlTypeLabelMethod
_sf_search[]textnone
_sf_post_type[]selectnone
_sft_category[]selectnone
_sf_sort_order[]selectnone
groups[]checkboxnone
groups[]checkboxnone
groups[]checkboxnone
groups[]checkboxnone
fields[email]email(Email)placeholder only
_sf_submitsubmit(none)none
#g-recaptcha-responsetextarea(none)none
#g-recaptcha-response-100000textarea(none)none

Form controls need a <label>, aria-label, or aria-labelledby for screen readers.

<input type="submit" name="_sf_submit">; <textarea name="g-recaptcha-response" id="g-recaptcha-response">; <textarea name="g-recaptcha-response" id="g-recaptcha-response-100000">

Why this matters

Form controls without labels — assistive tech announces 'edit text' with no context; users can't complete forms.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 3.3.2

Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.

<input type="email" name="fields[email]">

Why this matters

Placeholder-only labels disappear when the user starts typing — they must remember what the field was for.

Learn more ▾

Placeholders are NOT labels. They vanish on input, fail color contrast checks (most are gray), and don't satisfy WCAG SC 3.3.2. Always use a real <label> alongside (or aria-labelledby).

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 3.3.2 / Nielsen Norman

F
Favicon & Branding
Action
2 icon(s) detected
FIX
2 icon(s) detected
Info::
favicon.ico present at site root
Info::
HTML icon links detected
Info::
No apple-touch-icon detected
iOS devices use this when users add your site to their home screen. Add <link rel='apple-touch-icon' sizes='180x180' href='/apple-touch-icon.png'>.
✓ favicon.ico Present
✓ PNG Icons Present
✗ Apple Touch Missing
✗ SVG Favicon Missing
✗ Manifest Icons Missing
✗ Multiple Sizes Missing
D
Web Manifest
Action
Not found
FIX
Not found
Info::
No web manifest found
No manifest at standard paths (/manifest.json, /site.webmanifest). A manifest is optional but enables PWA features like home screen installation and standalone display.

No web manifest found.

D
Dark Mode Support
Action
No dark mode signals
FIX
No dark mode signals
Info::
No dark mode signals detected
Consider adding CSS with @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) and <meta name='color-scheme' content='light dark'>.
Info::
Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles
External CSS files may contain prefers-color-scheme rules not visible to this scan.
Dark ModeNo Dark Mode Detected
color-scheme meta Not set ✗Dark theme-color Not set ✗CSS indicators Not detected ✗

Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles.

D
Print Stylesheet
Action
No print styles
FIX
No print styles
Info::
No print-specific styles detected
When users print this page, they get the screen layout including navigation and non-essential elements. Add @media print rules to hide navigation and optimize layout for paper.
Print Stylesheet No Print Styles
Print stylesheet Not found ✗Inline @media print Not detected ✗
F
Navigation UX
Action
No navigation patterns
FIX
No navigation patterns
Info::
1 navigation landmark(s) detected
Info::
No breadcrumbs, search, or skip link detected
These navigation aids help users orient themselves and find content efficiently, especially on large sites.
Breadcrumbs
Search
Skip Link
Labeled Navigation 1 <nav> element(s)
Back to Top
Hamburger Menu
Sticky Navigation Cannot reliably detect (CSS-based)
1 of 6 testable patterns navigation patterns detected. Limited navigation support. Consider adding breadcrumbs, search, and skip link.
C
Landmark Structure
Action
3 landmarks
REVIEW
3 landmarks
Critical::
No <main> landmark found
Screen reader users cannot quickly navigate to the primary content. Wrap your main content in <main>.
Info::
1 <nav> landmark(s) found
Warning::
Skip navigation link is missing (WCAG 2.4.1)
Add a skip link as the first focusable element so keyboard users can bypass repeated navigation.
Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it
BANNER header NAV MAIN (missing!) CONTENTINFO footer

Screen reader users cannot quickly navigate to the primary content. Wrap your main content in <main>.

Why this matters

Without a <main> landmark, screen-reader users can't skip past the navigation to the page content — every page starts with re-reading the menu.

Learn more ▾

The <main> element marks the page's primary content area. Assistive tech offers a 'jump to main' shortcut — but only if <main> exists. Without it, every page navigation forces re-reading the header. Wrap your primary content in a single <main>.

Source: WAI-ARIA / WCAG 2.4.1

Add a skip link as the first focusable element so keyboard users can bypass repeated navigation.

Why this matters

Without a skip-nav link, keyboard users tab through every nav item before reaching content — every page, every visit.

Learn more ▾

WCAG 2.4.1 (Bypass Blocks) requires a mechanism to skip past repeated content. The standard implementation is a 'Skip to main content' link that's the first focusable element, visually hidden until focused. Three lines of HTML + four of CSS.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.1

B
Heading Hierarchy
12 headings
REVIEW
12 headings
Critical::
No H1 heading found
Every page should have one H1 that describes the page content.
  • H4 Sections
  • H4 MENU
  • H5 Social Channels
  • H4 SEARCH ARCHIVE
  • H4 Type
  • H4 Topic
  • H4 Sort
  • H4 Newsletters
  • H4 Thank you!
  • H4 SECTIONS
  • H4 ABOUT
  • H4 SOCIAL

Every page should have one H1 that describes the page content.

Why this matters

No H1 means screen-reader users can't identify the page's primary topic, and Google's content-extraction degrades.

Learn more ▾

The H1 is the document title for assistive tech and a strong signal to search engines about page topic. Pages without one force screen readers to fall back to the <title> attribute or page chrome. Add a single H1 that names the page's primary subject.

Source: WCAG 2.4.6 / Google Search Central

B
404 Error Page
HTTP 404, custom page
REVIEW
HTTP 404, custom page
Info::
Correct 404 status code returned
Got: HTTP 404
Info::
Custom styled 404 page
Info::
Navigation links present on 404 page
404 Page Quality ✓ Custom 404 Page
Status Code HTTP 404 ✓Page Title Page not found - Carbon Brief ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✓Homepage Link ✗Search Form ✗
C
Color Contrast (Screenshot)
Action
20 text elements analyzed, 19 fail WCAG AA
REVIEW

Analyzes text contrast against the actual rendered page, including background images, gradients, and overlays that CSS-based tools cannot detect.

1 pass 19 fail WCAG AA 1 pass AA only
title Home - Carbon Brief » Clear on climate
1.66:1
#000000
on
#333333
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
title Home - Carbon Brief
1.66:1
#000000
on
#333333
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
a Science
2.11:1
#000000
on
#0B4572
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
a Climate modelling
2.11:1
#000000
on
#0B4572
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a Extreme weather
2.11:1
#000000
on
#0B4572
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a Health and Security
2.11:1
#000000
on
#0B4572
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a Ice
2.11:1
#000000
on
#0B4572
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a IPCC
2.11:1
#000000
on
#0B4572
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a Nature
2.11:1
#000000
on
#0B4572
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a Oceans
2.11:1
#000000
on
#0B4572
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a People
2.11:1
#000000
on
#0B4572
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a Temperature
2.11:1
#000000
on
#0B4572
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a Energy
2.11:1
#000000
on
#0B4572
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · mid-page
a China energy
2.11:1
#000000
on
#0B4572
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · mid-page
a Coal
2.11:1
#000000
on
#0B4572
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · mid-page
a Emissions
2.11:1
#000000
on
#0B4572
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · mid-page
a Nuclear
2.11:1
#000000
on
#0B4572
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · mid-page
a Oil and gas
2.11:1
#000000
on
#0B4572
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · mid-page
a Other technologies
2.11:1
#000000
on
#0B4572
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · mid-page
Show all checked elements (20)
ElementRatioRequiredFGBGResult
title Home - Carbon Brief …1.66:14.5:1
#000000
#333333
Fail
title Home - Carbon Brief1.66:14.5:1
#000000
#333333
Fail
h4 Sections3.46:13.0:1
#000000
#436681
Pass
a Science2.11:14.5:1
#000000
#0B4572
Fail
a Climate modelling2.11:14.5:1
#000000
#0B4572
Fail
a Extreme weather2.11:14.5:1
#000000
#0B4572
Fail
a Health and Security2.11:14.5:1
#000000
#0B4572
Fail
a Ice2.11:14.5:1
#000000
#0B4572
Fail
a IPCC2.11:14.5:1
#000000
#0B4572
Fail
a Nature2.11:14.5:1
#000000
#0B4572
Fail
a Oceans2.11:14.5:1
#000000
#0B4572
Fail
a People2.11:14.5:1
#000000
#0B4572
Fail
a Temperature2.11:14.5:1
#000000
#0B4572
Fail
a Energy2.11:14.5:1
#000000
#0B4572
Fail
a China energy2.11:14.5:1
#000000
#0B4572
Fail
a Coal2.11:14.5:1
#000000
#0B4572
Fail
a Emissions2.11:14.5:1
#000000
#0B4572
Fail
a Nuclear2.11:14.5:1
#000000
#0B4572
Fail
a Oil and gas2.11:14.5:1
#000000
#0B4572
Fail
a Other technologies2.11:14.5:1
#000000
#0B4572
Fail

Methodology: The top 20 text elements by font size were checked. Background color was sampled from the desktop screenshot using a 5-point pattern. WCAG 2.1 AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.

B
Lighthouse Accessibility Audits
Score 81/100 — 5 failing, 23 passed
REVIEW
81

Accessibility

These checks highlight opportunities to improve the accessibility of your web app. Automatic detection can only detect a subset of issues and does not guarantee the accessibility of your web app, so manual testing is also encouraged.

Names and labels

Informative elements should aim for short, descriptive alternate text. Decorative elements can be ignored with an empty alt attribute. Learn more about the `alt` attribute.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
body#topBack > header > figure.mobile-menu-toggle > img body#topBack > header > figure.mobile-menu-toggle > img
div.col-xs-12 > div.card-featured > picture.thumbnail-wide > img div.col-xs-12 > div.card-featured > picture.thumbnail-wide > img
div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a > img div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a > img
div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a > img div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a > img
div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a > img div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a > img
div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a > img div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a > img
div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a > img div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a > img
div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a > img div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a > img
div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a > img div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a > img
div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a > img div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a > img
div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a > img div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a > img

Form elements without effective labels can create frustrating experiences for screen reader users. Learn more about the `select` element.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
All Types Articles Daily Brief ul > li.sf-field-post_type > label > select.sf-input-select
All Items 1.5C Antarctic Arctic Attribution Carbon budgets China Briefing China… ul > li.sf-field-category > label > select.sf-input-select
Sort Results By Title (Deecending) Title (Ascending) ul > li.sf-field-sort_order > label > select.sf-input-select

Link text (and alternate text for images, when used as links) that is discernible, unique, and focusable improves the navigation experience for screen reader users. Learn how to make links accessible.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
body#topBack > header > div.logo > a body#topBack > header > div.logo > a
header > nav.rightMenu > div.topSrc > a header > nav.rightMenu > div.topSrc > a
div.col-xs-12 > div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a div.col-xs-12 > div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a
div.col-xs-12 > div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a div.col-xs-12 > div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a
div.col-xs-12 > div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a div.col-xs-12 > div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a
div.col-xs-12 > div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a div.col-xs-12 > div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a
div.wp-block-group > div.wp-block-group__inner-container > figure.wp-block-image > a div.wp-block-group > div.wp-block-group__inner-container > figure.wp-block-image > a
div.col-xs-12 > div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a div.col-xs-12 > div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a
div.col-xs-12 > div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a div.col-xs-12 > div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a
div.col-xs-12 > div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a div.col-xs-12 > div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a
div.col-xs-12 > div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a div.col-xs-12 > div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a
div.col-xs-12 > div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a div.col-xs-12 > div.card > picture.thumbnail-wide > a
div.row > div.col-xs-12 > p.text-header > a.text-header div.row > div.col-xs-12 > p.text-header > a.text-header
footer > div.container > div.backTop > a footer > div.container > div.backTop > a
body#topBack > footer > div.ftrSM > a body#topBack > footer > div.ftrSM > a
body#topBack > footer > div.ftrSM > a body#topBack > footer > div.ftrSM > a
body#topBack > footer > div.ftrSM > a body#topBack > footer > div.ftrSM > a
body#topBack > footer > div.ftrSM > a body#topBack > footer > div.ftrSM > a

These are opportunities to improve the semantics of the controls in your application. This may enhance the experience for users of assistive technology, like a screen reader.

Best practices

Disabling zooming is problematic for users with low vision who rely on screen magnification to properly see the contents of a web page. Learn more about the viewport meta tag.

Why this matters

Informational: a Permissions-Policy directive showing feature -> allowed origins.

Source: MDN Permissions-Policy

Failing Elements
head > meta head > meta

One main landmark helps screen reader users navigate a web page. Learn more about landmarks.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
html html

These items highlight common accessibility best practices.

○Interactive controls are keyboard focusable
○Interactive elements indicate their purpose and state
○The page has a logical tab order
○Visual order on the page follows DOM order
○User focus is not accidentally trapped in a region
○The user's focus is directed to new content added to the page
○HTML5 landmark elements are used to improve navigation
○Offscreen content is hidden from assistive technology
○Custom controls have associated labels
○Custom controls have ARIA roles
●`[aria-*]` attributes match their roles
●`[aria-hidden="true"]` is not present on the document `<body>`
●`[role]`s have all required `[aria-*]` attributes
●`[role]` values are valid
●`[aria-*]` attributes have valid values
●`[aria-*]` attributes are valid and not misspelled
●Input buttons have discernible text.
●Form elements have associated labels
●ARIA attributes are used as specified for the element's role
●`[aria-hidden="true"]` elements do not contain focusable descendents
●Elements use only permitted ARIA attributes
●Background and foreground colors have a sufficient contrast ratio
●Document has a `<title>` element
●`<frame>` or `<iframe>` elements have a title
●`<html>` element has a `[lang]` attribute
●`<html>` element has a valid value for its `[lang]` attribute
●Links are distinguishable without relying on color.
●Lists contain only `<li>` elements and script supporting elements (`<script>` and `<template>`).
●List items (`<li>`) are contained within `<ul>`, `<ol>` or `<menu>` parent elements
●Touch targets have sufficient size and spacing.
●Heading elements appear in a sequentially-descending order
●Deprecated ARIA roles were not used
●Identical links have the same purpose.
○`[accesskey]` values are unique
○`button`, `link`, and `menuitem` elements have accessible names
○Elements with `role="dialog"` or `role="alertdialog"` have accessible names.
○ARIA input fields have accessible names
○ARIA `meter` elements have accessible names
○ARIA `progressbar` elements have accessible names
○Elements with an ARIA `[role]` that require children to contain a specific `[role]` have all required children.
○`[role]`s are contained by their required parent element
○Elements with the `role=text` attribute do not have focusable descendents.
○ARIA toggle fields have accessible names
○ARIA `tooltip` elements have accessible names
○ARIA `treeitem` elements have accessible names
○Buttons have an accessible name
○The page contains a heading, skip link, or landmark region
○`<dl>`'s contain only properly-ordered `<dt>` and `<dd>` groups, `<script>`, `<template>` or `<div>` elements.
○Definition list items are wrapped in `<dl>` elements
○ARIA IDs are unique
○No form fields have multiple labels
○`<html>` element has an `[xml:lang]` attribute with the same base language as the `[lang]` attribute.
○`<input type="image">` elements have `[alt]` text
○The document does not use `<meta http-equiv="refresh">`
○`<object>` elements have alternate text
○Skip links are focusable.
○No element has a `[tabindex]` value greater than 0
○Cells in a `<table>` element that use the `[headers]` attribute refer to table cells within the same table.
○`<th>` elements and elements with `[role="columnheader"/"rowheader"]` have data cells they describe.
○`[lang]` attributes have a valid value
○`<video>` elements contain a `<track>` element with `[kind="captions"]`
○Tables have different content in the summary attribute and `<caption>`.
○All heading elements contain content.
○Uses ARIA roles only on compatible elements
○Image elements do not have `[alt]` attributes that are redundant text.
○Elements with visible text labels have matching accessible names.
○Tables use `<caption>` instead of cells with the `[colspan]` attribute to indicate a caption.
○`<td>` elements in a large `<table>` have one or more table headers.
All checks on this page are automated. Results are estimates - run targeted manual reviews when the score affects a release decision.

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