Europe Activates Digital Twin of Earth

The European Commission has embarked on an ambitious project known as Destination Earth (DestinE), which involves the creation of two digital twins of the Earth. With an investment of €315 million, the DestinE project aims to develop a highly accurate digital replica of our planet using Europe's High-performance computers (EuroHPC). This initiative includes leveraging the computational power of the LUMI supercomputer located in Kajaani, Finland, which was officially launched today.

The primary goal of the digital twin is to simulate the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events specific to Europe. By doing so, the continent can enhance its preparedness to respond to natural disasters, adapt to changing climate conditions, and evaluate the potential socioeconomic and policy implications of such events.

Utilizing advanced AI modelling capabilities, DestinE plays a crucial role in the European data strategy by consolidating access to valuable data sources across the continent. The project is designed to evolve continuously, expanding its operations and incorporating additional components. By the year 2030, DestinE aims to complete a comprehensive digital replica of the Earth.

The initial system of DestinE features the DestinE Core Service Platform, which provides users with access to various services, tools, and applications. Additionally, it includes two DestinE Digital Twins: the Digital Twin on Climate Change Adaptation and the Weather-Induced Extremes Digital Twin. These twins offer high-resolution data to support the analysis and testing of different scenarios.

Furthermore, DestinE incorporates a Data Lake that enables seamless access to the data from the Digital Twins and numerous other sources, such as Copernicus, the EU's Earth Observation component. The project was officially launched in 2022 by the European Commission in collaboration with key partners like the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), the European Space Agency (ESA), and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT).