Photosynthesis and hydrogen energy for sustainability: harnessing the sun for a greener future

At the dawn of the 21^st century, the rapid expansion of manufacturing plants and the widespread destruction of natural habitats significantly contributed to accelerating global warming. This phenomenon has led to severe droughts, irreversible agricultural damage, and substantial challenges in securing food supplies for the burgeoning global population. The alarming surge in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations underscores the urgent need to embrace clean energy technologies. To date, the primary goal of mankind is to develop innovative approaches to return Earth's ecology to its pre-industrial condition, as a century ago. The special issue (SI) in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy presents a collection of papers on photosynthetic and biomimetic hydrogen (H₂) production, presented at the 'Photosynthesis and Hydrogen Energy Research for Sustainability - 2023' conference, held in Istanbul, Turkey, from 3-9 July 2023 (https://phrs-conference.com). The event was supported by the International Society of Photosynthesis Research (ISPR) and the International Association for Hydrogen Energy (IAHE). SI aims to deliver the latest insights into sustainable energy, with a particular emphasis on Biohydrogen and Artificial Photosynthesis. At the conference, nine promising young investigators were honoured with awards. Included herein are photographs capturing the conference's congenial atmosphere. We cordially invite you to the 12^th International Meeting of 'Photosynthesis and Hydrogen Energy Research for Sustainability - 2024', honouring esteemed researchers John Allen (UK), Eva-Mari Aro (Finland), Ibrahim Dincer (Canada), Kazunari Domen (Japan), Elizabeth Gantt (USA), Andrey Rubin (Russia), and scheduled to take place in Turkey (13-19 October 2024).