Airbus SE is a European aircraft manufacturer headquartered in Leiden, Netherlands, producing commercial aircraft, helicopters, and defence systems.
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Airbus operates a dual-track decarbonisation narrative: operational emissions (Scope 1+2) are declining toward validated targets, but the company's dominant footprint—aircraft in service—grows with delivery volumes. Scope 3 intensity targets mask absolute emission increases. Aggressive lobbying against EU climate regulation and partnership with high-emission industry groups undermine credibility.
Airbus scores 27/100 (Significant gaps) on SINK's independent climate assessment, scored from public data only. Fees pay for the review, never the result. Last verified May 2026.
That places Airbus joint 683rd of 847 companies scored, and joint 3rd of 9 in Aerospace.
Where Airbus sits among aerospace peers.
Among the 9 major aerospace brands we've scored, Airbus is tied =3rd of 9, with 2 others.
Its three lowest-scoring questions, and what the evidence didn't show.
Scope 3 (99.84% of footprint) rose 10.9% in 2023 due to higher deliveries.
Airbus Foundation uses satellite imagery for forest regeneration tracking (Brazil Atlantic Forest), but this is philanthropic, not operational impact assessment.
No industry association climate alignment review published.
A score changes when the evidence does. We use new published evidence at the next rescore. Evidence that isn't public can count through an evidence review.
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Get in touch →Strongest on Carbon Footprint — Operations and Transparency & Accountability (8/10, 7/10). Weakest on Emissions Trajectory and Nature & Biodiversity Impact (3/10, 3/10).
The 2 companies in the sector scoring nearest above Airbus.
Melrose has SBTi-validated near-term targets and achieved 33% absolute Scope 1+2 cuts, but excludes the largest supply chain category (purchased goods) from its reduction target.
See the breakdown →Virgin Atlantic discloses Scope 1 and 2 emissions with assurance, but absolute emissions are rising as capacity grows.
See the breakdown →The formula and all 12 sources.
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × Scale12 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
8 of 12 sources are independent of the company.
If you believe a source has been misread or a newer version exists, submit a challenge.
Airbus SE is a European aircraft manufacturer headquartered in Leiden, Netherlands, producing commercial aircraft, helicopters, and defence systems. With 156,921 employees and €73.4 billion in revenue (FY2025), it is a dominant player in commercial aviation alongside Boeing. The company also operates in spaceflight and weapons manufacturing.
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