Strength in community: the evolution of the DestinE network
Launched in 2022, Destination Earth (DestinE) aims to create a full digital twin of Earth by 2030. The European Commission has entrusted this ambitious project to three very experienced entities, ECMWFEuropean Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts More, ESA, and EUMETSAT, but success also depends on one crucial factor: user involvement.
As the ultimate customers of the initiative, users must be at the heart of any worthwhile data project. From developers working on creating new applications to policymakers who need insight for decision-making, users are a key piece of the jigsaw for building a twin of a system as complex and nuanced as our entire planet. It is therefore incumbent on DestinE to involve diverse end users to co-design, validate, develop and use the initiative’s capabilities in an open, inclusive and transparent environment.
The DestinE community
The DestinE community is broad and varied, bringing together people from different disciplines and with disparate levels of experience. Since the initiative was launched in 2022, the community has grown to almost 3,000 members from all over the world in the first quarter of 2025. Most come from countries in Central Europe, including Germany, France and Italy, but in total the DestinE network is spread across over 70 countries.
A significant part of the community is made up of Earth science and Earth observation (EO) scientists who research and develop the digital twins that form the core of DestinE. These experts help drive EO and Earth science forward and create the roadmap for scientific exploration to advance our knowledge of Earth systems. Recent figures show that the DestinE academic community is particularly interested in climate change and environmental issues, with the majority of affiliated researchers working in the fields of climate science, hydrology and urban monitoring.
The DestinE community has spread to include users from all over the world
Another important user group is industry. Commercial entities provide technical solutions and the robust and scalable operationalisation of services. Through procured activities and other contributions, DestinE offers industrial partners a number of opportunities for collaboration. For example, companies can attend DestinE events and network with the community to understand how they can provide services via the DestinE platform and be part of DestinE projects.
Policymakers also play a major role in DestinE. When complete, DestinE’s digital twin models will have an unprecedented level of detail, quality and interactivity, helping policymakers assess the impact of mitigation strategies and make informed decisions. Combining data from various sources will provide new perspectives on the potential impacts of proposed policies and decisions. For example, DestinE could assist solar energy providers in identifying areas where sunlight will be most intense in the coming decades, enabling them to strategically build solar panel farms for maximum sustainable energy production.
DestinE could also help city planners explore what-if scenarios to understand the consequences of certain climate adaptation strategies and whether they would work well for their city. With its open and user-friendly design, DestinE will support policymakers at all levels, from local city councils to national meteorological agencies and EU-wide institutions.
DestinE could help solar energy providers in identifying areas
where sunlight will be most intense in the coming decade.
Building a strong collective
Since day one, DestinE’s teams have worked hard to build an engaged community, and the User eXchanges have been a key vehicle for this. These events bring together users, service providers and the DestinE team to inform about the status of the initiative and ensure that the DestinE system delivers applications and services that meet a wide range of needs.
DestinE’s User eXchanges are a testament to the growth of the community. In October 2023, when the first event was held, around 300 on-site and online participants from 30 countries attended. The most recent User eXchange hosted over 500 attendees from 61 countries. The community has continued to thrive and expand after each event, driving the DestinE team to deliver further networking events that are stimulating and inspiring for everyone. The next User eXchange will take place on the 25th and 26th of June in Vienna, Austria, and registrations will open soon.
The DestinE community has grown over the years and
the User eXchanges have played an important role in this growth.
Another successful strategy is actively participating in conferences and events, allowing the DestinE team to connect directly with potential users. The team has engaged in both national and international workshops and conferences to expand its reach. Other future events like hackathons and forums will help to coalesce users and strengthen the group.
In the meantime, if you want to be part of the DestinE community, you can sign up for the DestinE PlatformSelf-standing DestinE system component, interfacing with the More and explore the services available. The platform will also feature a user forum where participants can exchange ideas and collaborate. You can also sign up for the DestinE newsletter to share your feedback. Getting involved early will give you a chance to shape the project’s direction and collaborate on tackling complex environmental and climate challenges.