Introduction
There is an undeniable urgency to act on the unprecedented ‘triple crisis’ of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. This requires new advances 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 data collected from satellite Earth observation powers innovative geo-information products, applications, and knowledge. Together this enables enhanced understanding, characterisation and modelling of the Earth system, ecosystems and interaction with human activities. Based on these advanced capabilities, the ESA Digital Twin Earth (DTE) programme is designed to maximise the use of Earth Observation in developing digital twins for the Earth system. ESA DTE Digital Twin Components (DTCs) enable advanced simulations and what-if scenarios, supporting the decision making and enhancing our capacity to respond to the major environmental challenges we are facing. These DTCs address a range of Earth system elements and economic sectors from hydrology to agriculture, ice sheets to urban areas, and many more.
ESA DTE aims at contributing to the future evolution of Destination Earth (DestinE), the flagship initiative of the European Commission to develop a digital replica of the Earth, and other operational DT initiatives in Member States (MSs).
This event will feature demonstrations of the latest developments of ESA DTCs and is designed to facilitate discussions between scientists, research institutions, policymakers, innovators, industry, stakeholders, ESA DTE activities, European and national DT initiatives, to share their experience and contribute to shape the future evolution of the use of EO in the context of Digital Twins in Europe.
Objectives
The overall objectives for this workshop are to:
- Present the latest ESA Digital Twin projects and activities.
- Engage with stakeholders and identify their needs, requirements and feedback in relation to Digital Twin capabilities for their activities.
- Share the latest research and scientific results in EO, AI, modelling and technology contributing to advance Digital Twin capabilities.
- Identify common priorities, standards and interoperability aspects across Digital Twin activities.
- Foster community building and trigger collaborative research across projects and initiatives.
- Assessing challenges and opportunity in the use of EO data for Digital Twins.
- Contribute to defining a community Science and R&D agenda to advance in the effective use of EO data in Digital Twins.
Draft Programme and Poster List
Please click HERE to see the Poster List
Please find below a draft version of the Agenda of the event
| Session | Monday 2nd February |
| 12:00 - 13:30 | Arrival and Registration |
Session 1.0 13:30 – 14:40 | ESA DTE and DestinE High-level status overview Welcome & Objectives for the meeting: ESA (10 mins) Keynote: From data to decisions: Destination Earth and the value of Earth system Digital Twins: Daniel Draghicescu, European Commission (DG-CNECT) (10 mins) Overview of ESA DTE Programme: Kathrin Hintze, ESA (10 mins) Overview of DestinE elements: 1. Destination Earth Digital Twins: Jörn Hoffman, ECMWF (10 mins) 2. DestinE Platform: Inés Sanz Morère, ESA (10 mins) 3. DestinE Data Lake: Michael Schick, EUMETSAT (10 mins) 4. Q&A (10 mins) |
Session 1.1 14:40 – 15:40 Chair: | ESA Lead DTCs Demonstrations (part1) 3 x (20 min Demonstrations) 1. Hydr’Avatar, a digital twin of hydrological systems using multi-complexity modelling and advanced EO datasets: Adrien Paris, Hydro Matters 2. The vision for the future of Digital Twin Earth Hydrology Next and its demonstrational platform: Luca Brocc, National Research Council of Italy 3. Forest Digital Twin Component: Matti Mõttus, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland |
| 15:40 – 16:10 Coffee break | |
| Session 1.2 16:10 – 17:30 Chair: | ESA Lead DTCs Demonstrations (part2) 4 x (20 min Demonstrations) 4. EO-Driven Digital Twin for Ice Sheets: Prototype Demonstration: Sebastian Simonsen, Technical University of Denmark 5. Digital Twin Component for Coastal Processes and Extremes: Project Update and Next Steps: Daniel Morton, Argans Ltd. 6. EOAgriTwin – An Earth Observation Based Digital Twin for Resilient Agriculture Under Multiple Stressors: Maximilian Schwarz, Remote Sensing Solutions Gmbh 7. SaveCrops4EU: Progress and Roadmap of an Innovative Agricultural Digital Twin: Mauro Sulis, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology |
| 17:30 - 19:00 Icebreaker: Posters & Interactive Demos (Lead DTCS) | |
| Session | Tuesday 3rd February |
Session 2.1 9:00 – 11:00 Chair: | ESA Early DTCs Demonstrations: 6 x (20 min Demonstrations) 1. Early Energy DTC EO4ER: Earth Observation for Energy Risks: Ingo Schoolmann, Ohb Digital Services Gmbh 2. SvalbardDT: A digital twin of Svalbard’s cryosphere: William Harcourt, University of Aberdeen 3. A Digital Twin Component for Glaciers (DTC-Glaciers): Early-phase Outcomes and Demonstration: Fabien Maussion, University Of Bristol 4. Climate and Environmental Digital Twins for Human Health: Leveraging Earth Observation for Compound Climate and Air Quality Extremes Early Warning: Ana Oliveira, CoLAB +Atlantic 5. GET-it Geohazard DTC Demo and Roadmap: Salvatore Stramondo, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia 6. DTC-Urban: Smart Urban Resilience Enhancement (SURE): Valerio Botteghelli, Gabriele Murchio e-GEOS |
| 11:00 - 12:00 Coffee break: Posters & Interactive Demos (Early DTCs) | |
Session 2.2 12:00 – 13:30 Chair: | National and European DT initiatives and projects Keynote: European Digital Twin Ocean – EDITO: Marina Tonani, Mercator (15 mins) Presentations: 5 x (12 min presentation + 3 min Q&A) 1. Methods and Prototyping Advances for Geospatial Digital Twins within the CNES Digital Twin Factory: Pierre-Marie Brunet, CNES 2. TerraDT – Digital Twin of Earth System for Cryosphere, Land Surface, and Related Interactions: Devaraju Naraynappa, CSC 3. IDEATION: and the Roadmap for creating a Coastal Waters Digital Twin: Jessica Penny, Centre for Water Systems, University of Exeter 4. IRIDE Cyber Italy: An Integrated Platform for Environmental Digital Twins: Enrico Cadau, ESA |
| 13:30 - 14:30 Lunch | |
Session 2.4 14:30 - 16:00 Chair: |
Presentations: 6 x (12 min presentation + 3 min Q&A) 1. SCOast-DT: Creation and deployment of Space-based Digital Twins of Coastal Zones: Vincent Lonjou, CNES 2. Multi-Scale Agent-Based Models Informed by Earth Observations for Scenario Planning Digital Twins: David Wagg, University of Sheffield 3. A Digital Twin of Soil-Plant-Atmosphere Continuum Enhanced by Earth Observation (SPACEO) for Monitoring and Predicting Land Processes: Yijian Zeng, ITC Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation, Universiteit Twente 4. Dual Digital Twin Framework for Spacecraft Propulsion system and Environment interaction modelling for System Autonomy and In-Orbit Performance: Mirza Talha Baig, University of Manchester 5. Toward a Digital Twin of Mountain Watersheds: A Data-Driven Framework for Real-Time Water Resources Intelligence: Matteo DallAmico, Waterjade Srl 6. Modelling proglacial discharge from the Greenland Ice Sheet using Functional Time Series: Amber Leeson, Lancaster University |
| 16:00 - 16:30 Coffe break | |
Session 2.4 16:30 – 18:00 Chair: | Building DTCs for Stakeholder Needs Introduction presentations: DTC stakeholder engagement activities 1. Co-development Approach and First-Year Results from EOAgriTwin: Gohar Ghazaryan, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (10 mins) 2. Integration of stakeholder requirements in the context of SvalbardDT: William David Harcourt, University of Aberdeen (10 mins) 3. The DestinE Co-design Methodology: Nicolas Fichaux, Mines Paris - PSL (10 mins)
6 stakeholder introductions (6 x 5 mins = 30 mins) Discussion (30 mins) |
| Session | Wednesday 4th February |
| 9:00
– 10:30 | Science Advances for Earth System Digital Twins (Part 2) Presentations: 6 x (12 min presentation + 3 min Q&A) 1. Pixel-based characterization of hydrometeorological extremes footprint in soil moisture to gain resolution on early warning monitoring systems and digital twins: Jaime Gaona, Cnr Irpi 2. Forward Urban Heat Islands for Urban Digital Twins: Beatrice Gottardi, Cgi 3. Digital twins and radiative transfer modelling for understanding forest disturbance: Niall Origo, Ghent University 4. Machine-learning emulators of JULES as data-driven Digital Twin building blocks: Cristina Ruiz Villena, NCEO - University Of Leicester 5. S2GOS: Building the Radiative Twin Earth Component for virtual observation simulation: Yves Govaerts, Rayference 6. HYDRA-EO: A Digital Twin component for multi-stressor crop disease detection using earth observation, radiative transfer modeling, and hybrid machine learning: Carlos Camino, Wageningen University |
| 10:30 – 10:45 Coffee break | |
| 10:45 – 11:15 | Platform Elements for Earth System Digital Twins (part 1) Presentations: 3 x (10 min presentation) 1. Fostering Innovation and Collaboration: Empowering the European Digital Twin Ecosystem through the DestinE Platform Service: Matteo Cortese, Serco Italia S.p.A. 2. Building a Flood Digital Twin with CGI Insula: Scalable Simulation, Dynamic Updating, and Impact Assessment: Alessandro Marin, CGI 3. HIGHWAY – Your Gateway to Ready-to-Use ESA EO Data for Digital Earth Twin Components: Zineb Badah, Adwaiseo |
| 11:15 – 12:00 | Platform Elements for Earth System Digital Twins (part 2) 1. Advantages of onboarding DTCs as services on the DestinE Platform: Serco Italia S.p.A (10 mins) 2. Examples of DTCs interactions with DestinE Platform’s services: a. Storytelling (DEA) for the DTCs: Alia Space Systems (5 mins) b. Workflow implementation through Delta Twin: GAEL Systems (5 mins) 3. Discussion and Feedback: a. Which DestinE services are currently being used by DTCs? b. What problems are you currently facing with using DestinE services? c. What services or functionality is missing from the DestinE Platform? |
| 12:00 – 12:15 | Final Discussion and Wrap-up |
| 12:15 | Open Meeting Ends |
| 12:15 – 13:00 | DestinE Platform Services Networking session Featuring: DeltaTwin (GAEL), Onboarding (Serco), Insula (CGI), DEA (Alia), HIGHWAY (Adwaiseo), DestinE engagement |
| 13:00 – 13:30 | DTE Programme Discussion
Session |
Participation
ESA Digital Twin Earth Components: Open Science
Meeting 2026 is in-person only. The meeting will begin at midday on Monday 2nd February.
Registration
Registration is close.
Bus Schedule
| 2 February | Timetable |
| Evening only | |
| Departure from ESRIN to Piazza Marconi (Frascati) | 19:00 |
| 3 February | |
| Morning | |
| Departure from Piazza Marconi (Frascati) to ESRIN | 08:00 |
| Evening | |
| Departure from ESA ESRIN to Piazza Marconi (Frascati) | 18:00 |
| 4 February | |
| Morning only | |
| Departure from Piazza Marconi (Frascati) to ESRIN | 08:00 |
Deadlines
| Abstract Opens | end of October |
| Abstract closes | 5th of December - 23.59 CET |
| Notification of Acceptance | 22nd of December |
| Registration opens | end of October |
| Registration closes | 15th of January - 17.00 CET |
Abstract Submission
Abstract submission is now closed.
Note: Abstract length should be at least 150 words and maximum 250 words (one A4 page, single space normally contains 400-500 words).
Information about the co-authors (name, last name, affiliation, contact Email) and the presenter is required.
Venue
ESA-ESRIN
Largo Galileo Galilei, 1
00044 Frascati (RM),
Italy
COURTESY TRANSPORT:
During the Workshop, a free shuttle bus service will be offered from Frascati to ESA-ESRIN and from ESA-ESRIN to Frascati centre for those who for those who signed up for the service during registration.
The pick-up and drop-off point will be at Piazza Guglielmo Marconi.
The timetable is on the website, please click HERE to consult it.
ACCOMODATION:
Please find below a list of suggested hotels in the centre of Frascati. Rooms can be booked upon availability by contacting the hotels directly:
| Hotel Name | Contact email | Phone number | Walking distance from Frascati P.zza Marconi |
| Hotel Bellavista Frascati | +39 06 5416304 | 2 minutes | |
| Hotel Cacciani | hotel@cacciani.it | +39 06 942 03 78 | 3 minutes |
| Hotel Flora | +39 06 9416110 | 4 minutes | |
| Hotel Colonna | +39 06 9401 8088 | 4 minutes | |
| Hotel Villa Mercede | +39 06 9929 1979 | 15 minutes (we suggest to request the shuttle service at the Hotel Reception or to book a taxi) | |
| Grand Hotel Villa Tuscolana | +39 06 942 900 | 23 minutes (we suggest to book a taxi) | |
| Park Hotel Villa Grazioli | +39 06 945400 | 26 minutes (we suggest to book a taxi) | |
| Domus Park Hotel | +39 06 200 0100 | 29 minutes (we suggest to book a taxi) |