Fewer car journeys and more flights: how covid has changed the way we travel

Apart from in the wealthiest European nations, transport and travel emissions rebounded to pre-lockdown levels after the pandemic

Italy was one of the countries that experienced a notable rebound in fuel consumption after restrictions were lifted.

Four years after the outbreak of covid-19, the pandemic seems like a distant memory for many. Yet its impacts on our lifestyle today are often profound and long-lasting, with many researchers on a mission to quantify it across sectors.

As sustainability researchers, we were keen to find out how covid-19 had affected our transport habits in Europe. Do we now move in a greener, more self-aware fashion, or did the end of the pandemic prompt a rebound effect, ushering in an era of carefree travel?