Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.

SCORE

GRADE

FIX

REVIEW

PASS

INFO

Checks

5 PASS 3 REVIEW 5 FIX

Favicon & Branding

Action

1 icon(s) detected

FIX

1 icon(s) detected

No favicon.ico at site root

Some older browsers, bookmark tools, and RSS readers look for /favicon.ico. Add one as a fallback.

HTML icon links detected

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 Missing

✓ PNG Icons Present

✗ Apple Touch Missing

✗ SVG Favicon Missing

✗ Manifest Icons Missing

✗ Multiple Sizes Missing

Web Manifest

Action

Not found

FIX

Not found

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.

Dark Mode Support

Action

No dark mode signals

FIX

No dark mode signals

No dark mode signals detected

Consider adding CSS with @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) and <meta name='color-scheme' content='light dark'>.

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.

Print Stylesheet

Action

No print styles

FIX

No print styles

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 ✗

Link & Button Quality

4 issue(s) across 217 links and 29 buttons

REVIEW

4 issue(s) across 217 links and 29 buttons

4 link(s) with generic text

Generic link text like 'click here' doesn't describe the destination.

Got: /about ("Learn more"); https://blog.ucs.org ("Read more"); /about ("Learn more"); /about/ucs-privacy-statement.html ("Learn more")

213 link(s) with descriptive text

217 links

0 empty

4 generic text

0 new tab

0 empty buttons

Element	Text	Issue	Suggested Fix
/about	Learn more	generic text	Replace with descriptive text
Before: Learn more Suggested: About
https://blog.ucs.org	Read more	generic text	Replace with descriptive text
Before: Read more Suggested: Blog.Ucs.Org
/about	Learn more	generic text	Replace with descriptive text
Before: Learn more Suggested: About
/about/ucs-privacy-statement.html	Learn more	generic text	Replace with descriptive text
Before: Learn more Suggested: Ucs Privacy Statement.Html

242 links and buttons have descriptive text

Generic link text like 'click here' doesn't describe the destination.

/about ("Learn more"); https://blog.ucs.org ("Read more"); /about ("Learn more"); /about/ucs-privacy-statement.html ("Learn more")

Why this matters

Generic anchor text ('click here', 'read more', 'learn more') tells screen readers and search engines nothing about the destination.

Learn more ▾

Out-of-context lists of links read by AT (one navigation pattern) become useless when every link says 'click here'. Use the destination's title or topic as anchor text. Doubles as SEO win — Google passes anchor-text relevance to the destination.

Source: WCAG 2.4.4 / Google Search Central

404 Error Page

HTTP 404, custom page

REVIEW

HTTP 404, custom page

Correct 404 status code returned

Got: HTTP 404

Custom styled 404 page

Navigation links present on 404 page

Homepage link present on 404 page

404 Page Quality ✓ Custom 404 Page

Status Code HTTP 404 ✓Page Title 404 | Union of Concerned Scientists ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✓Homepage Link ✓Search Form ✗

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

h1 We use science to make change happen.

1.00:1

#000000

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

32px · bottom of viewport

h2 Climate Change

1.00:1

#000000

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Energy

1.00:1

#000000

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Transportation

1.00:1

#000000

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Food and Farms

1.00:1

#000000

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Nuclear Weapons

1.00:1

#000000

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Science and Democracy

1.00:1

#000000

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Main Menu

1.00:1

#000000

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Utility Menu

1.00:1

#000000

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Our work

1.00:1

#000000

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 From our blog

1.00:1

#000000

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 We are experts and everyday people, figh…

1.00:1

#000000

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport · over background image/gradient

h2 How we work

1.00:1

#000000

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Accomplishments

1.00:1

#000000

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Footer

1.00:1

#000000

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h3 the world’s most pressing issues

1.00:1

#000000

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

19px · bottom of viewport

h3 and defend science

1.00:1

#000000

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

19px · bottom of viewport

h3 with the media, the public, and decision…

1.00:1

#000000

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

19px · bottom of viewport

h3 our 500,000 supporters to advocate for c…

1.00:1

#000000

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

19px · bottom of viewport

1 contrast failures on background images/gradients

These failures are invisible to CSS-based accessibility tools like Lighthouse. The text may be fine on a solid background, but fails when rendered over an image or gradient.

Show all checked elements (20)

Element	Ratio	Required	FG	BG	Result
h1 We use science to ma…	1.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#000000	Fail
h2 Utility Menu	11.74:1	3.0:1	#000000	#BBC2D0	Pass
h2 Climate Change	1.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#000000	Fail
h2 Energy	1.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#000000	Fail
h2 Transportation	1.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#000000	Fail
h2 Food and Farms	1.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#000000	Fail
h2 Nuclear Weapons	1.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#000000	Fail
h2 Science and Democrac…	1.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#000000	Fail
h2 Main Menu	1.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#000000	Fail
h2 Utility Menu	1.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#000000	Fail
h2 Our work	1.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#000000	Fail
h2 From our blog	1.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#000000	Fail
h2 We are experts and e…	1.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#000000	Fail
h2 How we work	1.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#000000	Fail
h2 Accomplishments	1.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#000000	Fail
h2 Footer	1.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#000000	Fail
h3 the world’s most p…	1.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#000000	Fail
h3 and defend science	1.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#000000	Fail
h3 with the media, the …	1.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#000000	Fail
h3 our 500,000 supporte…	1.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#000000	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.

Landmark Structure

14 landmarks

PASS

14 landmarks

<main> landmark present

7 <nav> landmark(s) found

3 of 7 <nav> elements are unlabeled

Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.

Skip navigation link present

Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it

Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.

Why this matters

Some <nav> elements lack aria-label — screen-reader users hear 'navigation' multiple times with no way to distinguish them.

Learn more ▾

When a page has multiple <nav> regions (primary, footer, breadcrumb), each needs aria-label or aria-labelledby. AT users navigate by landmark; identical 'navigation' announcements force them to enter each one to discover purpose.

Source: WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices

Heading Hierarchy

46 headings, 1 skip(s)

PASS

46 headings, 1 skip(s)

Single H1 present

Heading level skipped: H1 → H3 (missing H2)

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.

H2 Utility Menu
H3 Climate Science in Legal Contexts
H2 Climate Change
H3 Call on Congress to invest in affordable climate resilient housing.
H3 New England’s Offshore Wind Solution
H2 Energy
H3 Demand power plant outage information be made public.
H3 What is the Surface Transportation Reauthorization?
H2 Transportation
H3 Tell Congress we need electric vehicle infrastructure nationwide.
H3 Less Fertilizer, Better Outcomes
H2 Food and Farms
H3 The farm bill must center communities, not corporations.
H3 Plutonium Pit Production
H2 Nuclear Weapons
H3 Tell Congress: No more nuclear weapons testing.
H3 Access Denied
H2 Science and Democracy
H3 Help strengthen scientific integrity at federal agencies.
H2 Main Menu
H2 Utility Menu
H1 We use science to make change happen.
H3 Tell Congress: Protect Climate Research skipped
H2 Our work
H3 Data Center Threats in Louisiana
H3 UCS vs Anti-Science Actions
H3 UCS: What We Do
H3 Infographic: Who's Responsible for Climate Change?
H2 From our blog
H3 Investors Move Fight Over Fossil Fuel Dangers From the Boardroom to the Courtroom
H3 Terrible Team: Super El Niño and Climate Change Could Lead to Record-Breaking Global Temperatures
H3 Can California’s Interconnection Reforms Deliver a Cleaner Grid?
H2 We are experts and everyday people, fighting for change together.
H2 How we work
H3 Research the world’s most pressing issues
H3 Fight misinformation and defend science
H3 Communicate with the media, the public, and decisionmakers
H3 Mobilize our 500,000 supporters to advocate for change
H2 Accomplishments
H3 Cleaner, More Affordable Power for Illinois
H3 Support our work
H2 Footer
H3 Make Your State a Clean Energy Leader
H3 Support our work
H3 Other ways to give
H3 Your donation at work

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.

Why this matters

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.

Learn more ▾

Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI

A+

Alt Text Quality

All 19 images OK

PASS

All 19 images OK

2 decorative image(s) correctly marked

17 image(s) with good alt text

19 images 17 good alt text 2 decorative

All images have appropriate alt text.

A+

Form Accessibility

All 3 controls labeled

PASS

All 3 controls labeled

3 control(s) properly labeled

3 controls

3 labeled

0 placeholder only

0 unlabeled

Control	Type	Label	Method
#site-search-header	text	Search	none
monthly-donation	checkbox		none
monthly-donation	checkbox		none

A+

Lighthouse Accessibility Audits

Score 95/100 — 2 failing, 23 passed

PASS

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.

Contrast

Low-contrast text is difficult or impossible for many users to read. Learn how to provide sufficient color contrast.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
DONATE `div.wrapper-lg > div.mobile-menu-items > div.donate-alt > a.btn-donate-sm`
DONATE `div.block > div.clearfix > p > a.btn`

These are opportunities to improve the legibility of your content.

Navigation

Properly ordered headings that do not skip levels convey the semantic structure of the page, making it easier to navigate and understand when using assistive technologies. Learn more about heading order.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
Tell Congress: Protect Climate Research `div.field > div.node > div.node__content > h3`

These are opportunities to improve keyboard navigation in your application.

○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

●Buttons have an accessible name

●Image elements have `[alt]` attributes

●Form elements have associated labels

●`[user-scalable="no"]` is not used in the `<meta name="viewport">` element and the `[maximum-scale]` attribute is not less than 5.

●ARIA attributes are used as specified for the element's role

●Elements use only permitted ARIA attributes

●Document has a `<title>` element

●`<html>` element has a `[lang]` attribute

●`<html>` element has a valid value for its `[lang]` attribute

●Links are distinguishable without relying on color.

●Links have a discernible name

●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.

●Document has a main landmark.

●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-hidden="true"]` elements do not contain focusable descendents

○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

○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

○`<frame>` or `<iframe>` elements have a title

○`<html>` element has an `[xml:lang]` attribute with the same base language as the `[lang]` attribute.

○Input buttons have discernible text.

○`<input type="image">` elements have `[alt]` text

○The document does not use `<meta http-equiv="refresh">`

○`<object>` elements have alternate text

○Select elements have associated label elements.

○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.