Cutting-edge environmental research details intense climate change impacts and human vulnerability. Studies demonstrate early detectable climate fingerprints using extensive simulations, reinforcing the importance of long-term monitoring. Other work reveals growing risks of extreme heat on worker safety amid regulatory debates, and research on urban flood risks highlights unequal exposures in rapidly urbanizing Global South regions. The German NRZ-Authent initiative modernizes food authenticity data management to improve safety against fraud, further reflecting the intersection of environment and public health challenges.