Destination Earth

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:

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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
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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.

DestinE at COP29
2024-11-16 10:00 - 12:00 (Europe/Rome)
Only two and a half years after the launch of the initiative, Destination Earth features for a second time at a Conference of the Parties (COP) meeting. The initiative of the European Union to create a digital replica of the Earth system was introduced in 2022 during COP27.
For COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, an event organised by Finland’s CSC IT Center for Science, the Nordic Cryosphere Digital Twin (NOCOS DT) and the Nordic Council of Ministers, invited Irina Sandu, Director for DestinE at ECMWF to speak on the innovative DestinE digital twins.
The conference held in the COP29 Nordic Pavillion will explore the power of global and local digital twin technologies to support cryosphere monitoring and climate change adaptation. Tero Alto, Programme Manager at CSC – IT Center for Science will moderate the session.
Irina Sandu, Director for Destination Earth at ECMWF, during the recentDestinE User eXchange. © EUMETSAT
The fast-paced development of the DestinE initiative
On 10 November 2022, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for the Digital Age (DG CNECT) hosted an event at COP27 featuring the three entities entrusted to implement DestinE, ECMWF, the European Space Agency (ESA) and EUMETSAT, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites. Irina Sandu introduced the general principles of the digital twins and the digital twin engine, developed by ECMWF that at the time were only starting to be developed.
Today, the Destination Earth Platform is open to its first users and the Climate Change Adaptation Digital Twin (Climate DT) and the Weather-induced Extremes DT (Extremes DT) are a reality, producing already promising results.
CSC-IT Center for Science is leading a partnership developing the Climate DT through a contract procured by ECMWF. Last June, CSC hosted the DestinE launch event in the LUMI supercomputing center in Kaajani, Finland, in which the European Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager rang the bell marking the launch of the ambitious initiative.

Want to learn more? Watch the event live on 16 November 2024 at 13:15 AZT (UTC+4 – 10:15 CET)

Supercomputing Conference 2024
2024-11-17 - 2024-11-22 | Georgia World Congress Center, 285 Andrew Young International Blvd NW, Atlanta, GA, 30313, United States
Destination Earth (DestinE) featured at the Supercomputing Conference 2024 (SC24), in Atlanta, USA.
SC24 is the world’s largest gathering focused on all aspects of high-performance computing (HPC). Each year, it brings together students and professionals from across the globe to exchange best practices in areas like algorithms, cloud and distributed computing, machine learning, programming systems, and much more. The technical programme at SC is a hub of knowledge-sharing, featuring presentations, tutorials, panels, and discussion forums designed to spotlight breakthroughs and spark innovation in the HPC field. It’s within this dynamic programme that DestinE makes its mark.
Peter Dueben, ECMWF’s Head of Earth System Modelling, and Senior Computational Scientist Ioan Hadade attended the conference to showcase ECMWF’s work on AI-driven forecasts, data streaming, and other key elements of the Destination Earth initiative (DestinE).
On Tuesday, 19 November, Ioan Hadade participated in the session “Building a Global Data Streaming Community: Lessons Learnt, Potential Tools, Challenges and Opportunities — The European and U.S. Ecosystems Address the Latest Paradigm Shift Towards Global Data Streaming in Large Data Systems.” The panel gathered experts from both sides of the Atlantic to discuss data streaming techniques for HPC.
On Thursday, 21 November, Peter Dueben delivered a presentation on the three revolutions that have shaped Earth system modelling over recent decades: the quiet revolution, the digital revolution, and the machine learning revolution. He also addressed the future of Earth system modelling in a talk titled “The Digital Revolution of Earth System Modelling.”
Details of the event and agenda can be found here.

Explore DestinE’s role at the event!

CIMNE Coffee Talk: "Destination Earth, an EU initiative full of opportunities"
2024-11-19 15:00 - 16:00 (Europe/Rome) | Private: Campus Nord — Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
On 15 October 2024, the International Centre for Numerical Methods (CIMNE) Team responsible for the implementation of two use DestinE cases, hosted a Coffee Talk to explore the capabilities of the recently launched DestinE Platform, reflect on their experiences with the DestinE Data Lake and the components of the initiative overall. The aim of the conversation was to present a surface level overview of the capabilities of DestinE, pulling from the Dust in Barcelona and Sustainable Energy in Catalonia Use Case examples to demonstrate a snapshot of benefits to various key, interested stakeholders.
Event Speakers and Topics Discussed
Dr. Pere-Andreu Ubach, Research Engineer at CIMNE’s Structural Mechanics group, presented the progress of DestinE, specifically providing an a overview of the role of the three entities, ESA, EUMETSAT & ECMWF, responsible for the development of the system and the core components, including the Digital Twins and the Data Lake.
Laurence Sigler, Researcher at CIMNE, walked through the Use Case “Dust in Barcelona”, expanding on the practical implementation of the DestinE Data Lake infrastructure and use of its framework to enable forecasts about the air pollutants in the complex urban environment of Barcelona.
Míriam Méndez, Research Engineer at the Building, Energy, and Environment (BEEGroup) innovation unit at CIMNE, explored how DestinE enabled her team to combine multiple data sources to train a Machine-Learning model to better understand energy distribution and predict energy consumption in Catalonia.
More details on the Coffee Talk and speakers can be found here.

Watch the event recording

2nd Οnline Meeting of the Community of Practice (CoP) in Education
2025-01-29 11:00 - 12:00 (Europe/Rome)
Following on from the success of our first gathering, we are announcing the next online meeting in the DestinE Platform Community of Practice (CoP) series. This second event will focus on ‘Storytelling with DestinE: Unlocking the Platform’s Potential’.
As in the previous session, education takes centre stage. Webinar hosts will guide participants through the basics of storytelling with DestinE in the classroom. You will learn how to register on the DestinE platform and explore how it can empower you to engage students through innovative educational tools. This hands-on session will also include opportunities to discuss the platform and its applications, ensuring you are well prepared for integrating DestinE into your teaching practices.
Building on this foundation, the following meeting in the series, ‘Storytelling with DestinE: Reflecting on Experiences and Enhancing Practices,’ is scheduled for 12 February 2025. Both events will provide opportunities to discover the potential of teaching with DestinE, along with refining your practices and connecting with a community of like-minded educators.
Watch the recording of the event:

ESA Digital Twin Earth Components: Open Science Meeting
2025-02-03 08:00 - 2025-02-05 17:00 (Europe/Rome) | Private: ESA ESRIN, Via Galileo Galilei, 1, 00044, Rome, Italy
The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced that the ESA Digital Twin Earth Components: Open Science Meeting will take place at ESA ESRIN, between 3 and 5 February 2025.
Abstract submissions for oral and poster presentations are currently being accepted until 8 December 2024 – 23.59 CET. The event will be in-person only.
There is an undeniable urgency to act on climate change and to effectively respond to the unprecedented ‘triple crisis’ of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. This requires a quantum leap in the way we observe, understand and predict the dynamic evolution of the Earth system and its complex interactions with human activities and ecosystems. Digital Twins have recently emerged as potential solutions to address these needs.
The European Commission (DG CONNECT) launched “Destination Earth” (DestinE) as a flagship initiative of the European Commission to develop a highly accurate digital model of the Earth (a digital twin of the Earth) to monitor and simulate natural phenomena, hazards and the related human activities. In addition, several other Digital Twin initiatives have been launched at international, European and national levels.
The ESA DTE programme aims at contributing to this process, with a major focus on ensuring that the latest EO satellite capabilities may play a major role in the design and implementation of future operational Digital Twin ecosystems including the future evolution of DestinE and other operational DT initiatives in Member States (MSs).
This event is a networking opportunity and an invitation to scientists, research institutions, policymakers, innovators, industry, ESA DTE activities, European and national DT initiatives and projects to share their experience and contribute to shape the future evolution of the use of EO in the context of Digital Twins in Europe.
For event and registration details, visit: ESA Digital Twin Earth Components: Open Science Meeting

[Postponed] 3rd Οnline Meeting of the Community of Practice (CoP) in Education
2025-02-12 11:00 - 12:00 (Europe/Rome)
Note: This event has been postponed until further notice due to the sudden unavailability of the speakers (announced 11 Feb. 2025, 17:30 CET).
The third online meeting in the DestinE Platform Community of Practice (CoP) series, titled ‘Storytelling with DestinE: Reflecting on Experiences and Enhancing Practices’, will follow hot on the heels of the second gathering.
This session will provide a collaborative space for participants and speakers to share their experiences with storytelling using DestinE’s platform services. Attendees will have the opportunity to give feedback, offer suggestions for improving the platform, and discuss its potential applications in education.
Additionally, this meeting will help you further explore the possibilities for storytelling with DestinE, together with enhancing teaching methodologies and networking with the educational community.

Roadshow Webinar: Destination Earth Sea Ice Decision Enhancement (DESIDE)
2025-02-19 15:00 - 16:00 (Europe/Rome)
Ships operating in the polar regions encounter hazards that present elevated levels of risk and more severe consequences when accidents occur.
The DESIDE project is using DestinE system capabilities and data to provide comprehensive sea ice and related information for policy and operational decision makers in the Baltic Sea, European Arctic Ocean, and other polar regions.
Benefits to polar operations and society include:
Increased Safety: Accurate information supports strategic and tactical decision-making, enhancing safety of life and property.
Pollution Reduction: Efficient route optimization minimizes fuel consumption and emissions.
Protection of Sensitive Environmental Areas: Better forecasts can help policymakers protect environmentally sensitive areas affected by changing polar conditions.
The webinar will demonstrate how DESIDE can support policy and decision making at three levels within the context of polar operations:
Execution support: Supporting ships needing to avoid or navigate through sea ice.
Planning support: Supporting ship operators in planning polar voyages, guided by the information requirements of the IMO Polar Code.
Strategy and policy support: Supporting organizations and policy analysts wanting to assess the impact of climate change on future decisions regarding polar operations.
Agenda

Introductions – David Arthurs (Polar View) (5 mins)
The Challenge: Safety, Environmental Protection, and Operations in the Polar Context – David Arthurs (Polar View) (10 mins)
Execution support: Supporting ships needing to avoid or navigate through sea ice. – Lasse Rabenstein (Drift & Noise Polar Services) (10 mins)
Planning support: Supporting ship operators in planning polar voyages, guided by the information requirements of the IMO Polar Code. – Till Rasmussen (Danish Meteorological Institute) (10 mins)
Strategy and policy support: Assessing the impact of climate change on future decisions regarding polar operations. – Øystein Godøy (Norwegian Meteorological Institute) (10 mins)
Q&A and conclusion – (15 mins)

Recording

Digital Twin Webinar: How can cross-use digital modelling tools help in nature protection?
2025-02-27 15:00 - 16:00 (Europe/Rome)
As climate change accelerates, ecosystems worldwide are facing unprecedented threats – from biodiversity loss to the increased frequency of natural disasters. The ability to predict, model, and mitigate these risks is more critical than ever. Digital Twins (DTs) offer a powerful solution by enabling advanced simulations and real-time monitoring of environmental changes.
This webinar brings together experts from leading DT initiatives to discuss how these technologies can be leveraged to support environmental protection, disaster response, and biodiversity preservation.
Participants gain insights into current DT projects, their challenges, and how cross-collaboration can enhance their impact. The discussion also explores the practical applications of DTs for research institutes, environmental agencies, and emergency responders.
The webinar features a moderated panel discussion where representatives from different Horizon Europe projects (BioDT, InterTwin, DT-GEO, and TerraDT) as well as DestinE share their perspectives on key questions. The session also includes an interactive poll, providing the audience with an opportunity to engage with the panelists.
Speakers
Rita Giuffrida, Communication Officer of BioDT (Moderator)
Gabriela Zuquim, Scientific Coordinator of BioDT
Ramon Carbonell, Coordinator of DT-GEO
Andrea Manzi, Technical Coordinator of InterTwin
Jenni Kontkanen, Coordinator of TerraDT and ClimateDT
Thomas Geenen, Technology Partnership Lead at ECMWF for DestinE
Agenda (all times in CET)
15:00 – 15:15 – Introduction
15:15 – 15:30 – Opportunities and Limitations of Digital Twins
15:30 – 15:35 – Interactive discussion with the audience
15:35 – 15:55 – Cross-collaboration between DTs
15:55 – 16:00 – Closing Remarks
Registration
Interested participants can register through this webform the BioDT website.

BioDT project Final Event, in collaboration with DestinE
2025-04-03 09:00 - 16:30 (Europe/Rome)
The final event of the BioDT Project, in collaboration with Destination Earth (DestinE), will take place on 3 April 2025 at Spazio Europa in Rome with online participation.
This hybrid event will highlight BioDT’s key results, demonstrating its role in the European Commission’s Digital Twin strategy and will discuss possibilities to integrate within the DestinE ecosystem. It will also serve as a platform for discussions on sustainability, interoperability, and the future of BioDT within European research infrastructures and data spaces. Attendees will engage in strategic discussions, scientific presentations, panel debates on infrastructure and data sustainability, and live demonstrations of prototype Digital Twins (pDTs) developed during the project.
Discussions will delve into how BioDT might integrates with the DestinE ecosystem, focusing on interoperability and the technical capabilities of the DestinE platform. The event will also showcase real-world applications of BioDT’s prototype Digital Twins in biodiversity monitoring, such as forecasting species responses to environmental and land-use changes, tracking the dynamics of invasive species to support policy decisions, improving biodiversity mapping through genetic data analysis, and modelling species interactions and their impact on ecosystems.
Find out more

EGU General Assembly 2025
2025-04-27 - 2025-05-02
Destination Earth (DestinE) will be featured at the European Geosciences Union (EGU), General Assembly 2025, in Vienna, Austria.
The annual EGU General Assembly is Europe’s largest and most prominent geosciences event, attracting more than 16,000 scientists from all over the world.
In the session “Machine Learning and Digital Twins for Earth System Observation and Prediction”, experts from ESA, EUMETSAT and ECMWF will explore Digital Twins as a groundbreaking approach to enhancing climate resilience, disaster risk management, and sustainable development.
This session will focus on innovative data sources and benchmarks for weather and climate modelling, the adaptation of large-scale physics- and data-driven Earth system models, and the integration of real-time, multi-disciplinary data. Additionally, speakers will showcase practical applications of these technologies in tackling climate impacts, improving resilience, and promoting sustainability.
There will be an ESA booth at the EGU where representatives from the DestinE platform (Serco) will give short presentations and participants will be able to attend and ask questions.
Details of the event and agenda can be found here.

Destination Earth: What it is and what it can offer for local digital twins
2025-05-08 11:30 - 13:00 (Europe/Rome) | Online
As Europe accelerates toward a digital and climate-resilient future, the European Commission’s Destination Earth (DestinE) initiative takes a pivotal role in shaping how we understand and respond to environmental change. This ambitious programme aims to build a highly accurate digital replica of the Earth, enabling digital twins of the Earth system by 2030.
At present, DestinE features two advanced digital twins—focused on climate change adaptation and extreme weather events. These foundational components will soon be joined by further thematic twins, covering domains such as oceans and biodiversity. Developed by three leading European agencies—ESA, ECMWF, and EUMETSAT—DestinE represents a new frontier in data-driven decision-making.
As the impacts of climate change are increasingly felt at the local level, cities and regions are turning to digital innovation to protect communities and plan for the future. Whether for flood protection, land use strategy, or urban resilience, Local Digital Twins are becoming essential tools in managing environmental risk.
Exploring DestinE for Local Governance
This webinar provides a unique opportunity to discover the core aims of Destination Earth and how it can support local-level decision-making. Participants will explore how climate and weather data—made accessible through DestinE—can inform urban planning, and what capacities are needed to make the most of these insights.
Session Highlights

Welcome (11:30–11:35)Gabriela Ruseva, Living-in.EU coordinator, Eurocities

Introduction to Destination Earth (11:35–12:00)

The Digital Twins – Jörn Hoffmann, Applications and Innovation Partnerships Lead for DestinE, ECMWF

The Datalake – Danaële Puechmaille, Computer Systems Engineer, EUMETSAT

The DestinE Platform – Franka Kunz, DestinE Earth Science Model Engineer, ESA

DestinE in the Urban Context (12:00–12:40)

How to use the DestinE Digital Twins in urban policy – Jörn Hoffmann, ECMWF

Use cases on the impact of urban development and climate change

Discussion & Q&A (12:40–12:55)

Closing Remarks (12:55–13:00)

This session is designed for city leaders, policymakers, and regional stakeholders eager to integrate advanced digital tools into their climate and sustainability strategies. With DestinE as a key enabler of informed local action, attendees will gain both inspiration and practical knowledge for shaping the smart, sustainable cities of tomorrow.
