Digital tools are becoming an increasingly important part of how cities understand, plan for and respond to climate risks. Urban digital twins, climate services, geospatial analytics and AI-supported modelling can help cities test scenarios, visualize complex data and make better-informed decisions on issues such as extreme heat, air pollution, flooding and wider climate resilience. Yet one message is becoming increasingly clear: digital tools only become useful when they ar

Data assimilation (DA)—the science of combining sparse observational data with advanced numerical models to produce more accurate estimates—is at the very core of what we do at UrbanAIR. By integrating physical models with real-time data, our project builds high-fidelity digital twins for urban air quality and heat mitigation as part of the European Union's Destination Earth initiative. However, urban-scale atmospheric modelling deals with immense high-dimensional states, cha

The fifth Destination Earth (DestinE) User eXchange took place on 9 – 10 June 2026 in Brussels and online, and the UrbanAIR representatives were there to share the advnacements of their work and our project, learn more about the latest updates on the key elements of DestinE – the Digital Twins, Digital Twin Engine, AI models and solutions, Data Lake, DestinE platform and its services – and exchange experiences how they are used in practice. The event programme focuses on real

Empowering cities with digital tools: roadmaps for accelerating climate resilience and risk-informed planning Are you a city representative working on climate adaptation, air quality, or urban planning? Would you like to explore how data-driven insights from digital tools can support your local strategies? UrbanAIR invites you to join the workshop Empowering cities with digital tools: roadmaps for accelerating climate resilience and risk-informed planning. The workshop is par

This article features the work of early-career researcher Abhilash Menon at the SMHI, contributing to the European UrbanAIR project. The 6th ACCORD All Staff Workshop (ASW) in Marrakesh (13-17 April, 2026), provided a vibrant stage for the latest updates from UrbanAIR, our pioneering Horizon Europe project dedicated to bridging the gap between large-scale climate models and the hyper-local realities of city life. Bringing together experts from SMHI, Météo-France, KNMI, and

UrbanAIR will be officially represented at the upcoming FOCAL European Clustering Event, taking place in Zaragoza, Spain, from May 6th to 8th, 2026. This event marks a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to build synergies with "sister projects" across Europe. Representing UrbanAIR will be Sam Pickard from the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) , who will join other leading experts to discuss how digital innovation can drive climate-resilient decision- making. Col

We are officially in the final countdown to EGU 2026 (European Geosciences Union General Assembly), which starts in Vienna on May 3rd. We are excited to announce that UrbanAIR will be represented by a formidable contingent of researchers from our project partners. About EGU 2026 The EGU General Assembly 2026 is one of the premier annual events for geosciences worldwide, attracting thousands of scientists from across Europe and the globe. This year, it takes place in Vienn

As cities face an era of intensifying heatwaves and air quality challenges, collaboration between pioneering digital twin projects is more vital than ever. We are excited to announce that UrbanAIR will be participating in the upcoming workshop, "Urban Impact Models for Climate Adaptation," organised by our sister project, TerraDT . Strengthening the Urban Digital Twin Ecosystem The workshop serves as a key meeting point for experts dedicated to refining how we model the imp

Discussing perspectives, collaboration and challenges. We are pleased to announce that Nele Veldeman , Senior Researcher at VITO and a key contributor to the UrbanAIR project , will represent our consortium at the upcoming TerraDT webinar: "TerraDT One Year On: Main Achievements in Climate Digital Twins." The TerraDT first annual webinar will offer an accessible overview of how TerraDT is contributing to advanced Earth system modelling via digital twin components and impact

Join the UrbanAIR project at the WeatherGenerator Dissemination Workshop in Oslo. Represented by Prof. Dr. Angela Meyer (BFH), we explore synergies between global foundation models and urban digital twins under the Horizon Europe Destination Earth initiative. Learn how our sister project collaboration with WeatherGenerator and TerraDT is advancing air quality and heat resilience for cities. Register now for the 2026 outlook.

The New EU Directive, Public Health and Vulnerability, and What This Means for UrbanAIR in Barcelona Alvaro Criado (left), Cristina Cernerero (middle), Florence Gignac (right) at the Air Quality Congress in Sabadell On the 16th and 17th of October, Florence Gignac , Cristina Carnerero , Álvaro Criado , and Jan Mateu from Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC-CNS) , were actively involved in the 2025 Air Quality Congress at the Fira Sabadell. The Congress is a

The UrbanAIR project was recently represented at the prestigious 10th EMES International Research Conference on Social Enterprise , where our project partner, Aulia Sukma from TU Delft , shared key insights into behavioural modelling for climate adaptation. The conference, known for convening experts focused on social enterprise and sustainability, provided an excellent platform to disseminate UrbanAir's innovative approaches. Presenting Cutting-Edge Research on Urban Heat

Providing Forcing Data for Urban Simulations About Météo-France Météo-France is the official French meteorological administration, also offering services to Andorra and Monaco. It has the powers of the state and can exercise them in relation to meteorology. Météo-France is in charge of observing, studying, forecasting weather and monitoring snowpack. The organisation also issues weather warnings for the Metropole and the overseas territories. Météo-France is also in charge of