The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets are changing rapidly due to climate change, contributing to global sea-level rise and affecting ecosystems and communities. To better monitor and predict these changes, we are developing a new digital tool as part of a European Space Agency (ESA) project for the EU Commission’s Destination Earth (DestinE) platform.

This tool, called the Digital Twin Component (DTC) for Ice Sheets, uses satellite data, computer models, and artificial intelligence to simulate how the ice sheets are behaving and how they may change in the future. The system is designed to be flexible and to work with other DestinE digital twins, such as those focused on the ocean or atmosphere.

We focus on four main areas: modeling meltwater in Greenland to support hydropower development; estimating regional sea-level rise from ice loss, especially for Europe; assessing the stability of Antarctic ice shelves; and improving understanding of surface climate processes.

By combining Earth Observation data with advanced modeling, the DTC Ice Sheets helps scientists and decision-makers explore different climate scenarios and make informed choices. This work brings us closer to using digital twins for climate resilience and sustainable planning in a changing world