Airbus reveals planes sold in last two years will emit over 1bn tonnes of CO2

Landmark emissions disclosures cover 22-year lifetime of 1,429 aircraft sold in 2019 and 2020

Planes sold by Airbus in 2019 and 2020 will produce well over 1bn tonnes of carbon dioxide during their lifetimes, according to landmark first estimates of the aerospace manufacturer's emissions.

Airbus sold a record 863 planes in 2019, which would translate to 740m tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent produced over a 22-year period, according to figures seen by the Guardian. It sold 566 planes last year, for which lifetime emissions would be 440m tonnes.