A major challenge for humankind is to provide adequate and reliable supplies of affordable energy and natural resources. These should be obtained in environmentally sustainable ways, which is essential for economic prosperity, environmental quality, and political stability around the world. With this special issue, which reflects the scientific programme of the General Assembly 2026 of the Division on Energy, Resources and the Environment (ERE) of the European Geosciences Union (EGU), we would like to provide a holistic view of activities according to the development, assessment, and management of energy-related programmes. In addition, we provide a forum for the presentation of fundamental scientific advances and engineering developments in the understanding of resources systems. This can also cover aspects of the environmental impacts of socio-economic development.