‘Digital twin’ of the earth will aid extreme weather predictions

The EU has launched a ‘digital twin’ of the earth in order to boost predictions of extreme weather so that countries across Europe can better prepare.

Earth: a digital twin will help societies prepare for extreme weather
An image of Earth from space: a digital twin will help societies prepare for events like extreme weather


A digital twin is a virtual replica of a physical object, person, or process that can be used to simulate its behaviour and better understand how it works in real life.

Digital twins are linked to real data sources, which means that the twin updates in real time to reflect the original version.

They are already being used in construction, energy and industrial sectors in order to aid in processes of design and decision making.

It means that we can observe environmental challenges which can help us to predict future scenarios, which we have never been able to do before.

Simulation

The EU’s earth digital twin – which is also known as DestinE – will enable decision makers to test different scenarios according to possible impacts of extreme weather, for example, what effect a heatwave would have in a world which has warmed by 2°C above industrial levels, and how that changes if the warming is then 4°C.

Sectors impacted by extreme events and climate change, such as agriculture, forestry, renewable energy, public health or water resources, will then be able to tailor data, services and tools from the twin to their needs, and consider and test different options in response to climate impacts.

The €315 million system will use high-performance computers, including the LUMI supercomputer in Kajaani, Finland. This is the fastest and most energy-efficient supercomputer in Europe, and it is one of the most powerful in the world - combined with artificial intelligence to simulate the effects of climate change and extreme weather events.

It will also use a large number of other data sources, including from the bloc’s Copernicus satellites, and the EU’s space programme.

Paris bakes in a heatwave
This image shows Paris baking in a heatwave. A digital twin will help us prepare for extreme weather impacts such as heatwaves.

‘Game changer’

DestinE is now operational, and is expected to continuously evolve, extending its operations and adding new components till 2030, when a digital replica of the earth will then be complete.

Margrethe Vestager, executive vice-president for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age, said: “The launch of DestinE is a true game changer in our fight against climate change.

“It means that we can observe environmental challenges which can help us predict future scenarios, like we have never done before,” she said.