Climate Lobbying Overview: Airbus has mixed engagement with global climate regulation for aviation in 2018-20. Airbus does not appear to support GHG emissions reductions for aviation in line with the IPCC-demanded response and evidence suggests it is unsupportive of ambitious CO2 standards for aircraft. Airbus has consistently supported ICAO’s global CORSIA scheme for aviation over other climate policies, and in Europe has supported sustainable aviation fuels policy while appearing opposed to an EU aviation carbon tax.

Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: Airbus in 2019-20 has stated support for the climate strategy of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the UN aviation agency, and has communicated support for 'carbon-neutral' growth in the short term and a 50% reduction against a 2005 baseline by 2050 for the aviation sector. It is of note that, according to the IPCC, global net CO2 emissions should reach net zero around 2050 to ensure a 1.5C warming target, with this rising to 2070 for a 2C target. In their messaging in 2019-20, Airbus appears to consistently emphasize the economic viability of aviation emissions reductions over the IPCC demanded response. In a 2019 speech, Airbus’s CEO also argued that it was “unfair” the aviation sector had been highlighted for its environmental impact as it is only “2 percent to 2.5 of the CO2 emissions”.

Engagement with Climate-Related Regulations: Airbus communicated support for ICAO’s global CO2 standard for aircraft and CORSIA, the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for Aviation, the ICAO’s primary climate policy, in its 2019 Annual Report. Responding to a 2020 consultation on proposed US GHG standards for aircraft, Airbus stated that “Airbus does not believe the EPA should impose rules that are different from, or in excess of, whether in scope or in stringency, the requirements that have been adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (“ICAO”)”. Furthermore, evidence from 2017 suggests that Airbus played a key role in weakening and influencing the EU’s position during ICAO negotiations on the global CO2 standard for aircraft.

In 2020, as part of the Clean Skies for Tomorrow initiative, Airbus appeared to endorse a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blending mandate alongside other measures to increase European SAF supply and demand. This position suggests a more supportive stance than earlier communications from Airbus in 2017 that suggested opposition to an EU biofuels mandate. In 2019, Airbus further appeared to communicate opposition to an EU-wide carbon tax on aviation as part of an Airlines for Europe event.

Positioning on Energy Transition: In 2019-20 Airbus appears to have communicated general support for the electrification of aviation and the growth of sustainable aviation fuels, including policies to promote sustainable fuels in the EU. In 2020, Airbus publicly supported decarbonizing aviation through the development of planes fueled by green hydrogen. A 2020 op-ed by Airbus CEO, Guillaume Faury, emphasized aviation’s environmental benefits over rail and stressed that the “expectations of what rail can achieve exceed the current reality” regarding travel in Europe compared to aviation.

Industry Association Governance: Airbus does not appear to provide a dedicated disclosure of its trade association members, with InfluenceMap finding only an incomplete list of some of its trade association memberships on the Airbus website, with no further details on their climate positions or Airbus’ engagement with them provided. Airbus does however list some of its trade associations in its 2020 CDP disclosure. It has not published a review of its alignment with its industry associations. Airbus is a strategic partner of International Air Transport Association (IATA), which have actively and negatively lobbied climate regulation for aviation at global, regional, and national levels.