Special Collection on the Occasion of the 10th Edition of the CARBOCAT Conference

Progresses in sustainable catalytic transformations—a critical field for utilizing new feedstocks, creating high-performance materials, and establishing eco-friendly processes—rely increasingly on carbon materials and related technologies. For this reason, the development of carbon-based catalysts, along with advancements on the sophisticated toolkit of decarbonization and carbon circularity strategies, forms a cornerstone of sustainable development for the catalysis and material science community. The importance of carbon in catalysis stems from its ability to generate diverse and flexible, multidimensional structures. Engineered into porous, zeolite-like networks, these carbons, frequently in the form of metal-free systems of lightweight hetero-doped networks, create specialized confined environments ideal for catalytic and energy applications. Sourcing these C-based materials from renewable feedstocks has finally allowed to directly connect technological innovation with sustainable carbon circularity. The development of hybrid composites—from metal nanoparticles to atomically dispersed single-atom catalysts—has further boosted the importance of C-based networks in catalysis. Today, carbon is acknowledged as an active promoter in thermal, electro-, photo-, and photo-electro-catalysis, surpassing its former identity as a passive, inert material/support. Celebrating the 10th edition of the CARBOCAT conference (CARBOCAT 10, Florence, Italy, 24th–26th June, 2024), this special issue showcases the vibrant research of its global community. The featured papers not only demonstrate the field's energy but also affirm carbon's catalytic power in pushing the frontiers of nanoscience, characterization methodologies, and industrial innovation.