Solar evaporation has emerged as a versatile solution for addressing the water-energy-resource nexus. Significant progress has been made in the development of photothermal and substrate materials, along with various structural engineering strategies focused on light absorption, water transportation, thermal insulation, and interfacial properties. These advancements are applied in clean water production, sustainable energy generation, and valuable resource recovery [1–5]. In the domain of clean water, technologies such as solar desalination, pollutant degradation, and antibacterial disinfection have demonstrated substantial potential, providing scalable and cost-effective solutions to water scarcity and contamination. For energy sustainability, this approach supports energy storage, electricity generation, and fuel production, thus enriching the renewable energy landscape. Moreover, the extraction of resources like salt and lithium, as well as augmented food production via solar-driven processes, highlights its transformative impact on resource management and agricultural practices. Despite the current exciting achievements, further research and technological advancements are essential to optimize efficiency, reduce costs, and expand the applicability of solar evaporation across diverse global contexts: