Copyright © 2024 the Contributors to the Web Sustainability Laws & Policies Specification, published by the Sustainable Web Design Community Group under the W3C Community Contributor License Agreement (CLA). A human-readable summary is available.
Note: Several sections of this specification have been superseded. Please refer to the Sustainable Web Interest Group who are developing the latest version of the Web Sustainability Guidelines.
This document lists governmental policies related to Web sustainability, although it is not a comprehensive or definitive listing. Additionally, details of recognized sustainability standards and noteworthy best practices are included. It is also a supplement to the Web Sustainability Guidelines (WSG) 1.0 specification.
The information on this page is not legal advice. Please consult legal authorities for the appropriate jurisdiction. Neither the W3C nor the Sustainable Web Design Community Group can guarantee the sustainability of these external resources.
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For the below, best practices are recognized by international standing, associations with a public body (or recognized group), or they are evidence-based and aligned to existing standards and conformance criteria for legislation stated above in the field of digital sustainability (giving such practices increased credibility).
| Country / Region | Name | Published | Maturity | Responsible Entity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global | Web Sustainability Guidelines (WSGs) | 2024 | Awaiting | W3C Sustainable Web Design Community Group |
| France | General Policy Framework for the Ecodesign of Digital Services (RGESN) | 2024 | Passed | French Republic |
| European Union | European Digital Rights and Principles | 2023 | Passed | European Parliament |
| France | AFNOR Spec 2201 | 2022 | Passed | Association Française de Normalisation (AFNOR) |
| European Union | Handbook of Sustainable Design of Digital Services (GR491) | 2021 | Passed | Institute for Sustainable IT |
| United Nations | Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) | 2016 | Passed | United Nations |
This section is non-normative.
This status indicates that the item is either in development (draft), consultation, or awaiting approval.
Recognized and approved guidelines or techniques to meet standards or compliance targets.
A legislative act that sets out goals for individual member states to achieve. However, it is up to those member nations to devise their laws to reach the said goals.
A law has completed the legislation process and is put into effect as the law of the land.
This status indicates that the item has passed all stages of development and should be considered in use.
Outlines the goals of a government ministry or agency as well as the methods and principles to achieve those goals. Policies are not laws but can lead to the development of laws.
A formal document that exists (in this context) to help with regulatory compliance.
Additional information about participation in the Sustainable Web Design Community Group (SWD-CG) can be found within the wiki of the community group.
Alexander Dawson, Francesco Fullone, Ian Jacobs, Neil Clark, Tim Frick, Tzviya Siegman