Destination Earth

Big Data from Space 2023 (BiDS23)
2023-11-06 - 2023-11-09
NOTE: this is based on an article that was originally published on BiDS23’s website.
Destination Earth (DestinE) was an active participant at the recent Big Data from Space 2023 (BiDS23), a significant event that spotlighted the convergence of space and big data technologies. The conference brought together key players from industry, academia and government to showcase the latest advancements and practical applications in these domains.
During the event, the European Space Agency (ESA) was given a platform to present the functionalities and objectives of DestinE, highlighted by the session chaired by Jolanda Patruno (RHEA). Additionally, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) participated in a session discussing the capabilities and challenges associated with the Destination Earth Data Lake, co-chaired by EUMETSAT DestinE Project Manager Michael Schick and presented by EUMETSAT Computer Systems Engineer Danaële Puechmaille. This was followed by a presentation from Earth Observation Data Center (EODC), part of a DestinE service provider consortium, demonstrating multi-cloud processing using DASK, a flexible library for parallel computing in Python.
BiDS23 highlighted the technical aspects and societal significance of these advancements. The event served as a forum for discussions on global challenges such as climate change and sustainability, emphasising the role of space data-driven insights in informed decision-making and policy development.
DestinE’s active involvement through ESA and EUMETSAT at BiDS23 reaffirmed its dedication to advancing data-driven solutions and fostering collaborative initiatives to address pressing global challenges.
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2nd Destination Earth User eXchange
2023-11-13 13:00 - 2023-11-14 17:00 (Europe/Rome) | Dorint Hotel, Berliner Freiheit 2, Bonn, 53111, Germany
Destination Earth (DestinE) has evolved significantly over the last few months to bring forward a digital twin of the Earth system supporting decision-making in face of the challenges of climate change and the green transition. The effort is led by the European Commission and developed by the three entrusted entities, 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).

The 2nd User eXchange meeting took place 13-14 November 2023, hosted by ECMWF in Bonn, where the ECMWF DestinE activities are led. The event was an opportunity to share progress with the DestinE community and listen to users’ requests and feedback. This was the second Destination Earth (DestinE) User eXchange with the aim of further cementing the event as the forum for exchanges with DestinE stakeholders. It built upon the success of the 1st Destination Earth User eXchange and was co-organised by the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF).

For a summary of the event download the post-event report here or read the summary news article. You can discover a collection of the event photos here.

Roadshow Webinar: DestinE in action - meet the first DESP use cases
2023-12-13 12:00 - 13:00 (Europe/Rome) | Online
In this phase of Destination Earth, the three core components are being validated by dedicated use cases. In this webinar, you’ll meet the first 5 use cases procured to validate the Destination Earth Service Platform (DESP) being developed by ESA.
The use cases will be applied across a wide range of application domains, including agriculture, natural resource management, fisheries, and the polar area. In practise, use cases will develop software applications that use data and services from DestinE. The purpose is to create predictions that can be used in those different domains and that can inform climate change adaption and extreme weather policy at various levels. During this webinar you can hear directly from each use case about their methods and objectives.
Who should attend?

DestinE Contractors
Prospective Users
Interested Parties
Member State Representatives
Media

Agenda

Time
Title

12:00
Introduction
Rob Carrillo (Trust-IT)

12:05
What is the DESP? – Download Slides
Barbara Borgia (Serco)

12:15
Use Case Lightning Presentations – Moderation by Antonio Romeo (RHEA)

Global Fish Tracking System (GFTS) – Mathieu Woillez (Ifremer) – Download Slides
UrbanSquare – Tarek Habib (MURMURATION) – Download Slides
CITYNEXUS – Alessandra Feliciotti (MindEarth) – Download Slides
Destination Renewable Energy (DRE) – Georgios Koutalieris (ENORA INNOVATION) – Download Slides
DestinE Sea Ice Decision Enhancement (DESIDE) – David Arthurs (Polar View) – Download Slides

12:50
Audience Q&A
Rob Carrillo (Trust-IT)

AGU2023, WIDE.OPEN.SCIENCE: exploring machine learning and Digital Twin technologies for climate and weather simulation
2023-12-15 23:10 - 2023-12-16 00:40 (Europe/Rome) | Moscone Centre, eLightning Theater VI, Hall D - South (Exhibition Level, South, MC), San Francisco, CA, United States
The AGU2023 “Wide.Open.Science” conference, the annual gathering of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), is set to occur at the Moscone Centre in San Francisco and virtually from 11 to 15 December 2023.
AI Applications Lead of DestinE Rochelle Schneider (ESA) will co-convene a session titled “Machine Learning and Digital Twin Technologies for Climate and Weather Simulation” on 15 December 2023.
This session aims to foster general discussions on the application of Machine Learning (ML) and Digital Twins (DT) technologies in climate and weather simulation and impact assessment. Attendees can expect insights into cutting-edge technologies developed for specific applications.
With a history spanning over a century, AGU has consistently championed the cause of open science—creating pathways to discovery and raising awareness to tackle climate change. The conference serves as a dynamic platform for in-depth discussions on the latest advancements in Digital Twin Technologies, with a specific focus on climate and weather simulations.
Make sure you don’t miss important DestinE updates. Join the DestinE Community newsletter now.
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DestinE Use Case Energy Systems - User Perspectives Workshop (by invitation only)
2024-02-06 08:00 - 17:00 (Europe/Rome)
DestinE Use Case Energy Systems – User Perspectives Workshop is being organised by the Renewables Grid Initiative, German Aerospace Center, and Aarhus University on 6 February 2024 in Brussels (with an online option).
The event is specifically designed for energy system modellers specialising in planning, adequacy, or resilience assessment, along with experts in climate-energy system modelling.
To be part of this exclusive workshop, reach out to Léa Hayez (lea[at]renewables-grid[dot]eu) or Bruno Schyska (Bruno.schyska[at]dlr[dot]de) for more information on how to join. The agenda will only be shared with invited participants.
As Destination Earth (DestinE) delves into the challenges of incorporating future climate data into energy models, the workshop aims to facilitate a collaborative effort among energy system planners and modellers. The DestinE Use Case on Energy Systems focuses on co-designing models that effectively integrate climate information, a complex task that requires the development of innovative tools and methods. Building on the insights gathered from the initial User Needs workshop in February 2023, Use Cases partners invite energy system experts to provide valuable feedback on the project’s latest developments.
Energy System modelling experts are encouraged to help co-design climate-resilient energy systems models through this feedback survey on how developed tools can be further improved to better integrate climate information into energy system modelling applications.

Fill in the survey

DestinE Forestry Webinar: Harvester Seasons
2024-02-06 10:00 - 11:30 (Europe/Rome)
With this webinar series Finnish Meteorological Institute and Metsäteho Oy would like to present to you Harvester Seasons, a service for the forestry sector. The service aims to predict trafficability conditions for heavy machinery in forests. Originally created for the Finnish forestry sector, this service will be extended to cover now all of Europe. New developments within the Destination Earth initiative will be presented. The webinar will be held in English.
Register for the webinar by Sunday 4 February 2024, 15:00 CET.
Register here

Program

Opening words – Research Director Jukka Malinen, Metsäteho Oy
HarvesterSeasons: trafficability service presentation – Develoment Manager Mikko Strahlendorff, FMI
Question and comments
User feedback and user survey – Senior Researcher Heikki Ovaskainen, Metsäteho Oy

After the webinar the participants are kindly invited to contribute to a user survey, where they can bring valuable feedback to the service development and suggest user requirements. The survey can be answered anonymously.
The webinar will be recorded.

EuroHPC Summit 2024
2024-03-18 12:00 - 2024-03-21 18:00 (Europe/Rome) | Antwerp, Belgium
Destination Earth is set to feature prominently at the EuroHPC Summit 2024, scheduled for 18-21 March in Antwerp, Belgium. The EuroHPC Summit 2024 will bring together relevant European supercomputing stakeholders, public and private, as well as decision makers, allowing them to share the latest technological developments, define synergies, express their current and future needs, and participate in shaping the future of European supercomputing.

Learn more about the event

2nd DestinE Platform Innovation Prize – Ideating the Impact of the DestinE Platform
2024-03-20 11:00 - 2024-04-21 23:30 (Europe/Rome)
Introduction to the Challenge
Envision a future where everyone, especially policymakers and decision-makers, can access a Digital Twin of Earth. This advanced tool could be pivotal in addressing climate change and weather extremes. Consider the types of services it might offer, who would benefit from them, and their accessibility. Would these services be universally available, catered to specific needs, or both? What kind of data would be integral to their operation?
This challenge invites you to conceptualise a service powered by DestinE, drawing inspiration from a narrative set in 2050. We seek innovative ideas that, while not necessarily feasible today, are imaginatively rich and could pave the way to a better future. Join us in envisioning a remarkable 2050, armed with the solutions to today’s challenges.
About the DestinE Platform Challenge
DestinE, a groundbreaking initiative led by the European Commission and implemented by ECMWF, ESA, and Eumetsat (3E), aims to create a precise global digital twin of Earth. Utilising Earth Observation data, Big Data, and Data Lakes, DestinE aspires to craft a Digital Twin of Earth to assist in climate change mitigation and extreme weather response efforts (https://destination-earth.eu/).
A key objective is to foster a community of stakeholders and visionaries to co-create the vision for the digital twin. As the technology develops, community engagement in visualising future possibilities and service mock-ups is crucial to shaping DestinE’s trajectory.
In this exclusively online challenge, participants will dive deep into the realm of DestinE, guided by the expertise of the 3E members. They will explore and envision how DestinE could beneficially alter the lives of its users. Participants are encouraged to collaborate in teams or work solo to craft visualisations and preliminary mock-ups of potential DestinE services, imagining a bridge from imaginative concepts to future realities across Europe. Submissions must be original and adhere to a Creative Commons license, ensuring respect for intellectual property.
Awards will celebrate the most compelling proposals and visualisations, evaluating their coherence with the DestinE mission, their potential to enrich human lives and the environment, and the ingenuity of the mock-ups. While the technical feasibility and readiness of these ideas will be assessed, immediate practicality is not a prerequisite. This opens the door for participants to prioritise creativity, narrative crafting, and presentation prowess over technical problem-solving, encouraging a broad spectrum of innovative ideas.
Timeline

20 March 2024 – Challenge Kickoff
Watch the recording of the challenge kick-off webinar.
There, you will be able to find out more about the work EUMETSAT, ECMWF and ESA are doing to make DestinE a reality. Additionally, the challenge will be presented in greater detail and participants will have an opportunity to interact with the challenge organisers.
21 April 2024 – Submission deadline
Proposals will be submitted by teams or individuals through the webform here.
Early May 2024 – Winner announcement
Following judging of submitted proposals, winners and runner ups will be contacted and announced on the website.
End of May 2024 – Public presentation of winners
The moment to shine, winners and runner up proposals will have the chance to present their ideas to the DestinE community.

More information will be made available in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!
Watch the Challenge Kickoff webinar now

NWP at the crossroads: How the Quiet, Digital and Data-Driven Revolutions are shaping the future of NWP
2024-03-20 16:00 - 17:00 (Europe/Rome)
Director of DestinE Irina Sandu (ECMWF) will lead this episode of the European Meteorological Society’s webinar series, delving into the revolutions shaping Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP).
Numerical weather prediction (NWP) stands at a pivotal juncture, influenced by three transformative revolutions. These revolutions, akin to converging roads, are reshaping the landscape of Earth system prediction.

Quiet Revolution: Leveraging improved modeling, observations, and computational power, it has propelled NWP forward, constantly enhancing prediction quality.
Digital Revolution: Enabled by modern supercomputing, it has ushered in a new era of high-resolution simulations, unravelling localized phenomena with unprecedented fidelity.
Machine Learning Revolution: Compact, cost-effective machine-learned models recently emerged as formidable contenders of traditional ones, reimagining NWP boundaries.

These revolutions will be illustrated using examples from past and recent efforts at ECMWF, including from the ambitious Destination Earth initiative of the European Commission aiming to develop Digital Twins of the Earth System. Looking ahead, the future of NWP and more generally of Earth system prediction capabilities lies in synergising these revolutions, steering us towards a future where predictions are not only increasingly precise but also accessible to all.
Register here

Leveraging Community Insights for Enhanced DEUC Contributions to DestinE
2024-03-26 12:00 - 13:00 (Europe/Rome)
The first DestinE Community Meeting was held on 26 March at 12:00 CET. This event marked a pivotal moment for engaging with the DEUC team, tasked with integrating user recommendations into the evolving DestinE platform.
The DestinE (DESP) Use Cases Project, DEUC in short, represents a focused segment of the broader DestinE initiative. One of the main activities of DEUC is to engage with the DestinE community in relation to the DestinE Platform. Therefore it uniquely benefits from the rich tapestry of insights and experiences across the entire DestinE community. This meeting provided an in-depth exploration of the following key areas:

The DEUC vision: Uncover the guiding purpose and ambitions behind the collection of user recommendations, illuminating the path towards a more inclusive and responsive DestinE platform.
Community Landscape: Understand the dynamic ecosystem of the DestinE community, identifying current challenges, opportunities, and the collective journey towards shared goals.
Strategic Approach: Delve into the strategic framework designed to nurture an environment brimming with engagement, support, and collaboration, enabling every member to flourish.
Foundational Principles and Processes: Discover the core values and methodologies that sustain the DEUC mission and the broader community’s ethos, ensuring a cohesive and purpose-driven collaboration.
Communities of Practice: Learn about the establishment of specialized groups to deepen collaboration, knowledge exchange, and skill enhancement within specific areas of interest, driving forward the mission with focused expertise.
Engagement Opportunities: Find out how you can actively participate, bringing your unique insights to the table and contributing to the ongoing development and direction of the DestinE Platform and DestinE community fabric.

This session was designed to be much more than a simple briefing. DEUC is committed to creating a space for meaningful dialogue and interactive engagement.
Watch the Recording

See the live interaction results
See the Slido poll results and event presentation for more details.

DestinE at the EGU General Assembly 2024
2024-04-14 - 2024-04-19
NOTE: this is based on an article that was originally published on EGU’s website.
Destination Earth (DestinE) will be organising a session on “Digital Twins of the Earth System” at the European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2024 being held in Vienna, Austria from 14-19 April 2024. Abstract submissions for the session can be submitted until 10 January, 13:00 CET. The session will explore the workings of Digital Twins applied to the Earth system and its components and delve into advances in computational capacities, modeling technologies, and information systems, highlighting projects working on developing interactive information systems for simulations.
The session will start at 10:45 on Wednesday 17 with a short introduction and will be chaired jointly by ECMWF, EUMETSAT and ESA. The session will feature 10 on-site presentations on the applied features and uses of the DestinE system and will conclude at 12:30.
On the same day, there will also be an on-site poster session from 16:15 to 18:00, featuring insights on the Digital Twin Technologies and the Applications and Services of the initiative.
The EGU General Assembly is the event of the year for the domain of earth sciences. The conference will bring together key players from industry, academia and government to showcase the latest advancements in these domains. EGU24 will be an interactive forum for discussions on the value of geosciences in earth observation and decision-making and policy development concerning climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. It will additionally provide the opportunity to invite participants to significantly contribute to current developments in the initiative’s progress. Interested parties can submit an abstract for the session at the dedicated session page.

Learn more

ESA-ECMWF Workshop on Machine Learning for Earth System Observation and Prediction 2024
2024-05-07 08:00 - 2024-05-10 17:00 (Europe/Rome)
Destination Earth (DestinE) will be tackled in the upcoming ESA-ECMWF Workshop on Machine Learning for Earth System Observation and Prediction which will be held from 7-10 May 2024 in Frascati, Italy
The workshop, organised by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), delves into the synergy between machine/deep learning (ML/DL) and Earth System Observation and Prediction (ESOP), aiming to advance our understanding and prediction of Earth’s complex dynamics. It explores how ML/DL enhances digital models of Earth, how they contribute to European Commission goals and how it improves weather forecasting and climate prediction.
The event will discuss the impact of novel computing technologies like high performance computing (HPC), edge, and quantum computing on earth observation (EO), and showcase the potential of mixed models in environmental and urban planning. Attendees will engage in discussions and working groups to explore the fusion of traditional ESOP techniques with ML/DL, aiming to set future directions for the field. The workshop is free to attend.
DestinE at the workshop
Destination Earth (DestinE) represents one of the five key thematic areas for which the workshop is currently accepting abstract submissions. Interested participants are encouraged to submit their abstracts by the deadline of 31 January 2024.
For submission details or to register for the event, please visit the official website here:

Visit event website

DestinE at the Belgian Earth Observation Day 2024 (BEODay)
2024-05-14 09:00 - 18:30 (Europe/Rome)
On 14 May 2024, the STEREO (Support to Exploitation and Research in Earth Observation) team is organizing its annual Belgian Earth Observation Day (BEODay) in Hasselt, Belgium.
The day begins with a keynote on science communication by the Senior Trainer of ‘The Floor is Yours’ Erik Luijts, followed by highlights from the latest STEREO IV projects covering topics from environmental monitoring to climate impacts on agriculture. Just before lunch there will be an an exciting communication project on Belgian earth observation.
In the afternoon, Destination Earth (DestinE) experts will present updates and insights from the Europe’s flagship programme.
Researchers, private sector professionals and public administration employees are cordially invited to attend.
Registration for BEODAY 2024 is free but mandatory.
To access the final programme and registration form for the event, please visit the official website here:

Visit event website

DestinE Platform Beta Testing Closure Event
2024-05-17 11:00 - 12:30 (Europe/Rome)
We are delighted to announce the forthcoming Closure Event marking the conclusion of the Beta Testing phase of the DestinE Platform.
Beta Testing Closure Event

Date: Friday, 17 May
Time: 11:00 to 12:30 CEST

Join us for an engaging and interactive session featuring informative presentations by the DestinE Platform Team. Attendees will have the opportunity to:

Revisit the objectives set forth during the Beta Testing phase
Review user engagement metrics
Hear experiences from platform users
Engage in real-time polls and Q&A sessions
Discuss insights and offer feedback

We will also introduce the roadmap for the official launch of the platform, outlining key milestones and enhancements planned for the future.

Provide Your Feedback
Your active involvement and contribution are crucial in shaping the future of the DestinE Platform. We strongly encourage all beta testers to share their feedback and insights by completing the online survey, accessible to registered users.

Register now
Secure your spot for the DestinE Platform Beta Testing Closure event: Register here

Visit the DestinE Platform

Destination Earth goes live!
2024-06-10 | LUMI Supercomputer Center, Kajaani, Finland
The Destination Earth System goes live on Monday, 10 June 2024 in an official launch event from the LUMI Supercomputer Center in Kajaani, Finland.
European Commission Executive Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age Margrethe Vestager will inaugurate Destination Earth in a high-level event together with other representatives of the European Commission, the Destination Earth implementing entities (the European Center for Medium-range Forecasts – ECMWF, the European Space Agency – ESA, and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites – EUMETSAT), the Finnish Government and other European and international key stakeholders.
The onsite event can be followed through a live stream.

Visit event website

2nd DestinE Platform Innovation Challenge – Ideating the Impact of the DestinE Platform
2024-06-19 14:00 - 15:00 (Europe/Rome) | Online
Join us for a DestinE community event where the three winning proposals of the 2nd DestinE Platform Innovation Prize will be presented by the winners themselves.
As the challenge has come to a conclusion, this is the moment where visions on the impact of the DestinE Platform for the year 2050 are celebrated and all participants congratulated for being part of this future thinking challenge.
Kicking off on 20 March, the challenge received thought provoking submissions which have now been judged by all three implementing entities of Destination Earth, namely ECMWF, ESA, and EUMETSAT, and are now ready to be shared.
You are invited to the public presentations of the three winning proposals that have been distinguished as Most Promising Proposal, Radical Realities and BlueSky Concept. You will get a chance to listen first-hand to what these proposals have imagined for the future, who they would help and how their services have been envisioned as part of DestinE.
Be part of this forward-thinking conversation and join the discussion on how these visions could become reality sooner than expected! After all, the DestinE Platform will be unveiled on 10 June!
Watch now

International Weather and Climate Forum - 2024 Media Workshop
2024-06-20 09:00 - 10:30 (Europe/Rome) | EUMETSAT
On Thursday, 20 June, ECMWF representatives will be present at the 2024 Media Workshop, organised within the International Weather and Climate Forum.
ECMWF Copernicus Services Director Jean-Noël Thepaut will participate in the talk ‘Contribution of satellites to weather forecasting skill’. There will be an opportunity to meet with greater the ECMWF Communications team in the dedicated booth as well.
Since 2004, the Media Workshop has been the premier forum for TV and radio weather presenters from all around the world and representatives from international organisations working in Weather, Climate, Environment and Earth Observation fields to convene, communicate strategies, and share knowledge.
The purpose of the 2024 edition, coordinated under the guidance of Forum Météo Climat, is to encourage the exchange of good practices, foster dialogue and create links between stakeholders, and reinforce the weather presenters’ role in the eyes of the public.

Learn more about the event

Roadshow Webinar: How DestinE can empower sustainable cities​
2024-06-25 11:00 - 12:00 (Europe/Rome) | Online
Join us as we delve into the CITYNEXUS application, a novel urban tool designed to tackle the challenges of urban development decisively. Discover how this innovative solution, powered by the DestinE Platform, leverages advanced data integration and AI to provide policymakers and urban planners in Copenhagen with dynamic ‘what-if’ simulations. Explore the significant impacts on urban planning, environmental sustainability, and public health, and learn how CITYNEXUS fosters informed, community-driven decisions towards achieving a sustainable, smart urban future.​
We will also explore how this application can be scaled up for deployment in other cities’ urban planning.​
Who should attend?

Potential Adopters
Municipality representatives
Policy Makers

Agenda
Please find the slides for the event here.

Introduction and moderation
Rob Carrillo
Trust-IT Services Project Manager
The Challenge: transforming Ørestad, a vibrant mixed-use district, into a model of sustainable urban living
Alessandra Feliciotti
MindEarth Operations Manager
CITYNEXUS: What does the application do?
Simone Fratini
Solenix Principal Research Engineer
The impact of DestinE: how CITYNEXUS is enhanced
Simone Fratini
Solenix Principal Research Engineer
The plan for scale-up: how CITYNEXUS can move beyond a specific city
Alessandra Feliciotti
MindEarth Operations Manager
Audience Q&A
Moderated by: Rob Carrillo
Trust-IT Services Project Manager

Recording

1st Οnline Meeting of the Community of Practice (CoP) in Education
2024-06-27 13:00 - 14:00 (Europe/Rome) | Online
We are excited to announce the inaugural online meeting of the DestinE Platform Community of Practice (CoP) series, with a focus on education. This event will bring together professionals from diverse disciplines and levels of education to explore the DestinE Platform, its services, and its capabilities for educational activities. This is a unique opportunity to collaborate, share insights, communicate your needs and ideas, and discover the potential of the DestinE Platform for the education sector.
The meeting promises to be an engaging session aimed at fostering collaboration and uncovering the potential of the current and future services and tools of the DestinE Platform to enhance education about climate change adaptation and extreme events. We look forward to your participation and valuable contributions.
Meeting Recording
﻿

FOSS4G EUROPE 2024
2024-07-01 - 2024-07-07
Destination Earth (DestinE) is proud to be a Gold Sponsor of the Free and Open Source Software for Geospatial Europe (FOSS4GE) conference, the European branch of the annual event organised by the Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo).
DestinE will be present at the event with a dedicated booth to provide interaction and disseminate information about the initiative to participants. Representatives from the DestinE Platform Use Cases will also be present.
As the largest international organisation uniting developers, users, and advocates of open source geospatial software, OSGeo plays a pivotal role in fostering the development and use of free and open source geospatial software, standards, and data.
FOSS4G Europe 2024 aims to promote the sharing of geographic data and cooperation between organisations and individuals, addressing diverse challenges in fields such as map applications, logistics, transport, infrastructure planning, and disaster response. The event is a community-driven effort, organised by volunteers, with a focus on building a sustainable and diverse community dedicated to solving global problems through open source geospatial solutions.

Dates: 01-07 July 2024
Location: Tartu, Estonia

The conference series, which began in 2004 as the FOSS/GRASS User Conference and rebranded as FOSS4G in 2006, has established itself as a premier event for geospatial professionals. The European edition of FOSS4G, first held in 2012, has visited several cities across Europe, bringing together experts and enthusiasts to share knowledge and experiences.
By sponsoring FOSS4G Europe 2024, DestinE is supporting the open source geospatial community and contributing to the exchange of knowledge and innovation. Attendees will have the opportunity to:

Present their work and make valuable connections
Share experiences with a global audience
Learn from internationally recognised experts
Access high-quality educational material

DestinE will be present at the event with a session on July 4 from 14:00 to 14:30, titled “Destination Earth Data Lake (DEDL) – discovery, access, and process data” with Patryk Grzybowski. The session will delve into the features of the DestinE DEDL, highlighting its role in facilitating access to and processing of vast amounts of Earth observation data.
Join us in Tartu, the start-up capital of Estonia, to be a part of this important event!
For more information, visit the FOSS4G Europe 2024 website.

Roadshow Webinar: Renewable Energy Forecasting through the DestinE Platform
2024-07-02 11:00 - 12:00 (Europe/Rome)
Learn about how DestinE can improve renewable energy forecasting with our webinar on the Destination Renewable Energy (DRE) project and the Hybrid Renewable Energy Forecasting System (HYREF).
As the globe warms at an unprecedented rate, the push towards a sustainable future has never been more urgent. The DRE project offers a novel approach to digitising solar and wind energy production through HYREF.
This webinar will explore how HYREF leverages advanced data sources, including satellite observations and digital twins, to enhance the accuracy and reliability of energy forecasts.
The webinar will also explore the future of the HYREF in the DestinE Platform, and how it can have a future impact on the Renewable Energy industry.​
Who should attend?

DestinE Contractors
Prospective Users
Policy Makers
Decision Makers
Industry
Member State Representatives
Media

Agenda

Introduction and moderation – H. Kontoes (National Observatory of Athens) (5 mins)
The Challenge: efficiency, resilience and precise daily information for Renewable Energy systems – S. Kazadzis (PMOD World Radiation Center and National Observatory of Athens) (5 mins)
HYREF: What does the application do? – G. Koutalieris (ENORA INNOVATION) & K. Papachristopoulou (National Observatory of Athens) (15 mins)
The impact of DestinE: how HYREF is enhanced – K. Papachristopoulou (National Observatory of Athens) (15 mins)
The plan for scale-up: how HYREF can have a wider impact – T. Drivas (National Observatory of Athens) & C. Stathopoulos (WeMET P.C.) (5 mins)
Audience Q&A (until no more questions or 10 mins past webinar end time) – (10 mins)

Slides
Please find the slides for this event here.
Recording

International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS 2024)
2024-07-07 08:00 - 2024-07-12 17:00 (Europe/Rome) | National Observatory of Athens, Athens, Greece
Destination Earth (DestinE) will be presented in the 44th International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS 2024) which is set to take place in Athens, Greece from 7 to 12 July 2024.
DestinE will be showcased in at least three sessions below. These are currently being planned and are changes may occur:
1. NASA and the DestinE Entrusted Entities: This session will explore the collaborative efforts of three entities towards a common goal, shaping the future of Earth observation.
2. Digital Twins of Earth Systems: Discover how technological advancements are revolutionizing our understanding of Earth’s complex systems.
3. Copernicus and DestinE Platform ecosystem opportunities: This session highlights efforts and opportunities within the Copernicus Data Space and DestinE Platform to empower users to contribute to a robust ecosystem of services, fostering sustainability, resilience, and positive planetary impact.
Chair and Co-Chair: Jolyon Martin, Kathrin Hintz (ESA)
Further information on the session scope, agenda and chairs will be made available later.
Organized by the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society, IGARSS 2024 serves as a global congregation of over 2,500 leading scientists and professionals in the field of remote sensing. With this year’s theme, “Acting for Sustainability and Resilience,” the symposium aims to ignite insightful discussions on science, innovation, and the creation of solutions for the betterment of society.
The event will be hosted by the National Observatory of Athens – Operational Unit “BEYOND Centre of Earth Observation Research and Satellite Remote Sensing” of Institute for Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Applications and Remote Sensing, with the support of the National Technical University of Athens and the Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas.

Learn more about the event

UrbanSquare: DestinE Empowering Urban Resilience Against Climate Challenges
2024-07-09 11:00 - 12:00 (Europe/Rome) | Online
Discover UrbanSquare, a tool designed to help decision-makers to tackle climate-related urban challenges. With cities increasingly bearing the brunt of climate change effects – from relentless heatwaves and urban heat islands to catastrophic flooding and coastal erosion – the need for a robust, data-driven approach to urban planning has never been more critical. UrbanSquare provides a comprehensive tool for assessing urban climate risks and fostering climate resilience across urban landscapes.
This webinar delves into how UrbanSquare leverages the DestinE Digital Twins, to offer a dynamic, multifaceted view of urban climate threats and their potential impacts. By integrating short-term simulation capabilities with long-term strategic planning, UrbanSquare enables stakeholders to navigate immediate hazards while building a sustainable, resilient urban future.
The webinar will also cover how UrbanSquare’s plans to scale up beyond the use case objectives.
Who should attend?

Potential Adopters
Municipality representatives
Policy Makers

Agenda

Introduction and moderation – Trust-IT Services
The Challenge: understanding and mitigating the impacts of heat waves, storms, air pollution, flooding, and infrastructure disruptions
UrbanSquare: What does the tool do?
The impact of DestinE: how UrbanSquare is enhanced
The plan for scale-up: how UrbanSquare can have a wider impact
Audience Q&A

Slides
Please find the slides for the presentation here.
Recording

QGIS User Conference 2024
2024-09-09 15:30 - 17:00 (Europe/Rome) | Private: Faculty of Civil Engineering STU, Bratislava, Slovakia (Slovak Republic)
The QGIS User Conference will take place from 9 to 10 September 2024 in Bratislava, Slovakia.
The conference brings together users and developers of the QGIS open-source geographic information system (GIS) software, providing an opportunity for attendees to learn about the latest developments in QGIS, share their experiences with others, and network with other QGIS users and developers.
DestinE at the event
The European Space Agency (ESA) will be a Gold Sponsor of the annual QGIS User Conference. By sponsoring the QGIS User Conference 2024, ESA is supporting the QGIS community, demonstrating DestinE innovations as a relevant solution for their network of policymakers, business representatives and industry professionals.
Anna Dosiou and Zoi-Eirini Tsifodimou from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), ESA DestinE Platform Use Cases (DEUC) project members, will host a workshop on Monday, 9 September 2024 from 15.30 to 17.00 p.m. CEST entitled, “Exploring DestinE Platform for Geospatial Analysis and Collaboration: join the DestinE Community!”.
The session will showcase some of the capabilities of the DestinE Platform for the DestinE community. Interactive demonstrations will guide users through the platform’s unique interface, exposing attendees to the innovative data exploration, analysis and visualisation features. Discussion about the community needs and suggestions will take place. By the end of the workshop, attendees will have the knowledge to engage with the DestinE platform and the motivation to explore further DestinE’s capabilities to achieve their sophisticated geospatial analyses within the DestinE community.
For more information on the event, visit the QGIS User Conference 2024 Website.

OECD Global Forum on Technology
2024-09-19 09:00 - 2024-09-20 12:30 (Europe/Rome) | OECD Conference Centre, 2, rue André-Pascal, Paris, Île-de-France, 75016, France
On 20 September 2024, DestinE was presented at the OECD Global Forum on Technology by the Deputy Head of the DG Connect Unit C1 (High Performance Computing and Applications), Liina Munari, of the European Commission. The event was held from 19-20 September in Paris, France.
The 2024 Global Forum on Technology (GFTech) event convened policymakers, technologists and stakeholders to explore visions of the human future that will guide responsible and rights-oriented technology development and deployment. In this future, emerging technologies foster resilient societies, better address climate change, and cooperation leads to policies that help bridge digital and technological divides.
DestinE was presented in a tech talk, which was in the context of a session on the High impact area of Sustainable digitally-augmented spaces. These discussions considered how digital twins and other emerging technologies can be expected to converge and change the spaces people will occupy in the future.
To stay up to date with the DestinE and related events, make sure you join the DestinE community.

EUMETSAT Meteorological Satellite Conference 2024
2024-09-30 09:00 - 2024-10-04 14:00 (Europe/Berlin) | Congress Centrum Würzburg, Pleichertorstraße, Würzburg, 97070, Germany
Destination Earth will be presented at the EUMETSAT Meteorological Satellite Conference 2024 which will take place in Würzburg, Germany from 30 September to 4 October.
Over the years, the EUMETSAT user conference has become a key annual event for the meteorological and scientific communities where participants from around the world can meet to share their experience and knowledge during plenary, poster and workshop sessions. The theme of this year’s annual EUMETSAT conference is “The Earth Observation value chains for weather, climate and hydrosphere”.
DestinE will be presented at the event in several talks:
Session 8. Data access and Cloud technologies / B-New infrastructure for Earth Observation
Wed. 2nd / Oct. 14:00 – 15:30 / Room 5 + 6
Destination Earth Data Lake unlocking big earth data processing with AI/ML capabilities
Destination Earth Data Lake (DEDL) – Cloud computing close to the data
Session 5. Assessing climate variability and change using satellite observations / G-Using climate data records for climate applications
Fri. 4th Oct. / 10:45 – 13:15 / Plenary Room Franconia
A walk through Destination Earth system and demonstration of use cases implemented by EUMETSAT
For more information, visit: EUMETSAT Meteorological Satellite Conference 2024

EuroGEO Workshop 2024
2024-10-08 08:00 - 2024-10-10 16:00 (Europe/Warsaw) | Holiday Inn Krakow City Centre, Ul Wielopole 4, Krakow, 31-072, Poland
Destination Earth (DestinE) will be showcased at the 2024 EuroGEO Workshop, which will take place in Krakow, Poland from 8 to 10 October 2024.
EuroGEO is the regional coordination mechanism that aims to consolidate and coordinate activities throughout Europe that contribute to GEO (Group on Earth Observations) initiatives. At this critical juncture within the European Earth Observation landscape, this year’s EuroGEO workshop aims to invite and mobilise the Earth Observation community to reposition EuroGEO in the light of both the evolving European landscape and GEO strategy. This new EuroGEO era will strive to “Coordinate, Combine, Cooperate” with the national and European EO ecosystems, across different sectors and domains, to create relevant and impactful contributions to GEO, and harness the benefits of international cooperation for the benefit of the European EO sector.
DestinE will be discussed as part of the EuroGEO coordination with Copernicus and DestinE roundtable session on day 2, which would discuss the benefits, synergies, and coordination mechanisms between EuroGEO, Copernicus, and DestinE. A poster will also be presented as part of the ESA DestinE Use Cases project.
The focuses of days 1, 2, and 3 will be a “Thematic Day”, “One EuroGEO: European contribution to GEO”, and “National focus & Polish session”, respectively, and the draft agenda for this highly interactive event is subject to changes.
The most recent draft agenda for the event, including details on the session scope, agenda, and participants, can be found here.

3rd Destination Earth User eXchange
2024-10-15 - 2024-10-16 | Darmstadtium, Schlossgraben 1, Darmstadt, 64283, Germany
Overview
DestinE is a European Commission initiative aimed at developing a high-precision digital twin of Earth for modelling, monitoring, and simulating natural phenomena, predicting environmental changes, and supporting sustainable development.
EUMETSAT, ECMWF, and ESA oversee the implementation of the initiative, leveraging their expertise to engage users and build partnerships through an open stakeholder dialogue. The DestinE User eXchange series plays a central role in showcasing the initiative’s progress and demonstrating its value to interested parties.
Objective
The third User eXchange aims to convene current and prospective users of DestinE and developers of the DestinE system. During various sessions the resources available to users will be demonstrated, highlighting how they can benefit. Goals include sharing information about the system’s status and use, showcasing user interaction examples, identifying expectations and requirements for future adaptations, fostering dialogue between stakeholders and potential partners, attracting interested parties, and exploring ways to enhance interaction and engagement.
The event is hosted by EUMETSAT and will offer both in-person attendance and remote participation via webstream, a dedicated Q&A tool, live polling, and interactive chat platforms. Training sessions on how to use the newly launched DestinE platform will also be provided and streamed to attendees.
Participation
The User eXchange welcomes participants from the scientific community, as well as public and private entities seeking to develop or implement policies that can benefit from DestinE capabilities. This event is ideal for those currently engaged with DestinE or interested in gaining deeper insights into its potential.
Details

Date: 15 – 16 October 2024
Organiser: EUMETSAT
Contact: events@eumetsat.int

Report & Photos
The DestinE team compiled a detailed report on the event, available below:

Event Report
Photos

Webinar: DestinE Use Case Energy Systems – Modelling for climate resilience and adaptation
2024-11-07 11:00 - 12:30 (Europe/Rome)
On 7 November, Renewable Grids Initiative (RGI) and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) co-organised the webinar “Modelling for climate resilience and adaptation” to present the results of the first phase of DestinE’s Use Case Energy Systems, and their relevance for developing climate adaptation and resilience policies and measures. During the occasion, showcased the project’s support for the industry and policy-making in planning and modelling energy systems under the broad context of resilience and climate adaptation.
Event Background
To support energy systems modelling, DestinE’s Digital Twins (DT) of planet Earth allows exploration of the effects of climate change on the different components of the Earth system, together with possible adaptation and mitigation strategies.
DestinE’s Use Case Energy Systems demonstrated the integration of climate DT data into energy system modelling used by TSOs and the importance of meteorological datasets for these models.
These models assist planning a better electricity grid in Europe under changing weather and climate-change driven conditions.
Webinar Schedule

Time
Agenda

11:00
Opening remarks, logistics & introduction

11:05
DestinE Initiative – the bigger picture

11:10
Use Case Energy System – key results

11:25
Relevance of the Use Case and the results to policy and industry (presentations by DG-CNECT, DG-ENER and RTE)

11:40
Open discussion

12:25
Closing remarks and announcing the next steps

Visit the event website for updates and outcomes from the event, including the webinar recording.

DEDEP webinar: boost the impact of Digital Europe projects
2024-11-13 11:00 (Europe/Rome) | Online
Destination Earth (DestinE) is featuring at a DEDEP webinar on boosting the impact of Digital Europe projects, taking place online on 13 November.
DEDEP.eu is a 24-month project, funded under the Digital Europe Programme, which aims to improve, via dissemination and exploitation actions, the uptake of the Digital Europe Programme to beneficiaries other than the organisations directly involved in the projects.
This webinar seeks to highlight a selection of best practices for dissemination and exploitation from across a range of Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL) projects, along with discussing policy perspectives on the importance of these strategies for maximising the impact and benefits of DIGITAL-funded research.
The main themes of the gathering are as follows:

Ensuring market impact for DIGITAL projects through a strong and effective dissemination and exploitation (D&E) strategy
How specific D&E strategies can be implemented across different project areas and specific objectives
The role of D&E strategies for policy
How scientific excellence and industrial strength, funded by DIGITAL, supports the European digital transformation and ensures its technological sovereignty.

ESA’s Franka Kunz is part of the panel discussion ‘Learning from some of the measures and channels for success,’ where she will explain how DestinE is ensuring market impact through a strong and effective dissemination and exploitation strategy.
Participation is encouraged from projects funded under DIGITAL, project officers, joint undertakings representatives, and dissemination and exploitation specialists. The webinar aims to communicate dissemination and exploitation strategies of particular benefit to this audience.
Details of the event and agenda can be found here.
