This Virtual Special Issue (VSI) presents insights from the Proterozoic-early Paleozoic world, a critical interval for the co-evolution of life and environments in Earth's history. The 16 papers in this VSI are broadly organized into three themes. The first theme presents new fossil discoveries within a refined geochronological framework, revealing limited biotic competition and a strong palaeoenvironmental control on the spatial distribution of life in the Ediacaran ocean. The second theme focuses on paleoenvironmental reconstruction. The results point to a complex, non-linear evolution of marine redox conditions, carbon cycling and continental weathering, challenging the idea of a simple environmental control on biological evolution. The third theme highlights the key role of oceanic redox conditions in the formation of phosphorus and manganese ores. Together, these studies suggest that understanding the co-evolution of life and environments during the Neoproterozoic-early Paleozoic requires a geosystems perspective incorporating a combination of interconnected tectonic, climatic, oceanic, ecological, and bioevolutionary drivers.