Nanotechnology offers significant advancements in achieving sustainability by addressing both environmental protection and energy efficiency through its unique nanoscale manipulations. At the interface of environmental science and nanotechnology, engineered nanomaterials exhibit superior capabilities for pollutant detection, removal, and neutralization, which enhances pollution control mechanisms. For instance, nanocatalysts and nanofiltration systems can degrade contaminants more efficiently and selectively than conventional methods, improving water and air quality. In parallel, nanotechnology plays a pivotal role in energy management by enhancing the performance of energy storage and conversion systems. Nanostructured materials, such as those used in high-capacity batteries and advanced photovoltaic cells, provide improvements in energy density, charge/discharge rates, and overall efficiency. This alignment of nanotechnology with green chemistry principles ensures that the development of these materials involves non-toxic processes and minimal environmental impact. By incorporating lifecycle assessments, nanotechnology helps evaluate the full environmental footprint of energy technologies, promoting a shift toward sustainable energy solutions. Therefore, the intersection of nanotechnology with environmental and energy sciences highlights its transformative potential in advancing sustainability, offering innovative approaches to resource management and environmental stewardship.

This collection is associated with the Euro-Asia Conference on Sustainable Nanotechnology, Environment, and Energy (SNE2-2024), an event scheduled for 3rd-4th October, 2024, organized by Rayat Bahra University, India, in collaboration with the National University of Singapore, the University of Montpellier, France, and the University of Salento, Italy. This conference will convene preeminent scientists, researchers, industry experts, and policymakers from Asia and Europe, focusing on the intersection of nanotechnology, environmental sustainability, and energy solutions.

We welcome submissions from researchers, industry professionals, and academics who are exploring the frontiers of sustainable nanotechnology. We encourage original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and insightful case studies that align with the theme of this special issue. Contributions should provide significant advancements or novel insights into the applications of nanotechnology in environmental protection and energy management. Manuscripts will undergo rigorous peer review to ensure the highest quality and relevance. We look forward to your submissions and to advancing the field together.

Keywords: Sustainable nanomaterials; Pollution control; Waste management; Circular Economy; Water purification; Air quality improvement; Regulatory issues; Safety issues; Environmental footprint reduction; Climate change solutions; Environmental remediation; Case studies; Renewable energy sources; Bioenergy; Energy storage; Advanced batteries; Supercapacitors; Energy conversion efficiency; Sustainable manufacturing

As demonstrated in the Sustainable Development Goals, the three main pillars of sustainability are environment, economy, and society. For achieving social and economic sustainability, environmental sustainability is a prerequisite. However, the Earth system is on the edge of crossing the thresholds that will trigger non-linear, abrupt environmental change and result in deleterious or even catastrophic consequences. Recent evidence indicates that humanity has transgressed six planetary boundaries, including climate change and biosphere integrity. While the total anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions continue to reach a new peak in 2023, biodiversity loss is happening at an unprecedented rate, with an average 69% decline in wildlife populations since 1970. As climate change and biodiversity loss are mainly anthropogenic-induced, these environmental issues have to be and can only be solved by humans. Sole technological transformation and innovation are largely insufficient for solving the environmental problems, but social transitions are also required. Humans’ underpinning value systems, goals, beliefs, and worldviews need to be changed to leverage the sustainability transformation within the human society, as they define how humans interact with nature, generate knowledge and technologies, and utilize natural and artificial resources. Therefore, the humanistic values of this era demand the inclusion of environmental sustainability, and building an eco-surplus culture is essential for the social transition away from eco-deficit dystopia. In contributing to the generation of knowledge that aids the social transitions toward an eco-surplus utopia, the Topical Collection welcomes viewpoints, reviews, and theoretical and empirical work that are related but not limited to these issues:

• Socio-cultural and economic issues that help mitigate and adapt to climate change and prevent biodiversity loss

• Socio-cultural and economic issues that support the development and implementation of nature-based solutions and artificial technologies for achieving environmental sustainability

• Factors that help restore the connection between nature and humans, such as science, art, literature, and lived experiences

• The psychology towards climate change, biodiversity loss, social transition, and technological transformation

• The roles of creativity, serendipity, and knowledge management in sustainability transformation

• Sustainable financing mechanism for climate change mitigation and adaptation as well as biodiversity conservation

• The roles of urban and rural humans in addressing climate change and biodiversity loss

• Global agreement, national commitments, and local actions for addressing climate change and biodiversity loss

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG Goals.

Keywords: Nature-human nexus; environmental degradation; climate change; biodiversity loss; community science; citizen science; artificial intelligence; technology; innovations; knowledge management; humanities; adaptation and mitigation; conservation; finance