UrbanAIR in TerraDT 1st Annual Webinar
- Georgia Nikolakopoulou
- Jan 21
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 27
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 tools for the cryosphere, land surface and aerosols within the Destination Earth (DestinE) initiative.
A panel discussion with representatives from DestinE, sister digital twin projects, including UrbanAIR, and external stakeholders, will explore how these developments fit into a broader European digital twin ecosystem and what is needed to translate components and simulations into operational services that people actually use. Interactive polls and a live Q&A will be used throughout the webinar to collect participants’ interests, perceived barriers and collaboration ideas.
Taking place on January 30th (10:00–11:30 CET), this event marks the first annual achievement milestone for TerraDT. As part of our ongoing joint dissemination activities within the Destination Earth (DestinE) ecosystem, UrbanAIR is proud to participate in this knowledge-sharing session to highlight how urban-scale insights complement the broader climate conversation.
Who should join:
Researchers and modellers working on the cryosphere, land surface, aerosols and related Earth system processes.
Developers of impact models and climate or environmental services (e.g. sea-ice and polar services, hydrology, forestry, air quality, urban applications).
Teams involved in DestinE (ClimateDT, platform and data infrastructure, service providers) and other EU digital twin initiatives.
Data scientists, software engineers and HPC specialists interested in digital twin components, emulators and integration workflows.
Representatives of public authorities, operational agencies and organisations considering or already using digital twins to support decision-making.
Other stakeholders and networks engaged in climate services, environmental monitoring and digital infrastructures who wish to explore synergies with TerraDT.
Bringing Urban Expertise to the Panel
While TerraDT focuses on the evolution of Earth system modelling, UrbanAIR provides the essential "street-level" perspective. Nele Veldeman will join the panel to discuss the importance of translating climate data into actionable insights for European cities and to explore how different initiatives under DestinE can complement each other.
Nele’s work at VITO is central to UrbanAIR’s mission of making high-resolution modelling accessible to city stakeholders. Her expertise lies in bridging the gap between complex atmospheric science and the practical needs of urban planners, a theme that resonates with the overarching goals of the DestinE initiative.
A prime example of the work Nele leads is the Green Potential Map, a tool developed in collaboration with the City of Antwerp. This initiative demonstrates the journey from a scientific "idea" to real-world "impact," helping cities visualise how green infrastructure can mitigate heat stress and improve air quality.
For a deeper look at this work, you can read Nele’s recent feature: From Idea to Impact: The Green Potential Map User Journey.
For more, don’t miss out on this joint dissemination event.
Event Details & Final Registration
The webinar will feature presentations on the latest achievements in climate digital twins, followed by a panel discussion including Nele Veldeman. The complete agenda, featuring all speakers and session topics, is available on the registration page.
Event Overview, Agenda & Registration: TerraDT One Year On: Main Achievements in Climate Digital Twins
Date: January 30th, 2026
Time: 10:00 – 11:30 CET
Platform: Online
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