The AETHERIA project aims to improve the accessibility, usability and reliability of Earth and Ocean Digital Twins for climate adaptation and resilience assessment in coastal regions. It addresses the challenges of integrating existing Digital Twin infrastructures, including DestinE and EDITO, and the limited accessibility and interpretability of their outputs for non-technical stakeholders.
AETHERIA will develop an AI-powered platform building on existing Earth and Ocean Digital Twins and combining large-scale simulations with localised impact assessments. The project will introduce an adaptive AI orchestration layer connecting Digital Twin data with HPC and cloud workflows, as well as a generative AI interface enabling non-expert users to explore data and what-if scenarios using natural language. The platform will also support explainable AI, continuous validation, uncertainty assessment and comparison of alternative scenarios.
The approach will be validated through four pilots in Crete/Cyprus, the Oslo Fjord, the Varna–Danube region and Cabo de Gata–Níjar. The pilots will address coastal and environmental challenges including flooding, erosion, marine litter and dust events, and will involve end users in the co-design and validation of the developed services.
The project will contribute to more interoperable and human-centric use of Earth and Ocean Digital Twins, supporting climate impact assessment, early warning and decision-making. It will improve access to complex environmental data and simulations for a broader range of users and support the development of more informed and resilient approaches to climate adaptation.
Project coordinator: Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas (Greece).
Funding: Horizon Europe
