Digital Twin Cities: Key Insights and Recommendations

The report introduces the SODPA model—comprising Strategy and talent, Operation and business, Data and infrastructure, Platform and technology, and Application and scenario—as a framework for building digital twin cities. It emphasizes the necessity of multistakeholder collaboration, the creation of specialized government roles like Chief Digital Officers, and the development of sustainable public-private business models. The document details the technical requirements for sensory and visualization platforms and provides global case studies from China, the UK, USA, Finland, and New Zealand. It concludes by envisioning the transition from digital twin cities to 'Metavercities,' where immersive virtual environments drive new economic growth and service delivery.

• The report proposes the SODPA model as a methodology for high-quality digital twin city development, focusing on five building blocks: Strategy and talent, Operation and business, Data and infrastructure, Platform and technology, and Application and scenario, all centered on a "People-oriented" approach.
• Digital twin cities are defined as virtual digital models corresponding to physical objects, treating distinct entities as fundamental data units that combine static information, such as geometric data, with dynamic sensory data.
• To drive digital transformation, governments are advised to establish specific executive roles, such as a chief information officer (CIO) and a chief digital officer (CDO), to lead city-level digital strategies and data security.
• Sustainable business models for digital twin cities require public-private partnerships where the government provides strategic guidance and regulations while the private sector provides services and products, with revenue often shared on a pro-rata basis in some regions like China.
• A functional digital twin city requires four essential technical platforms: a sensory and video platform, a twin city model visualization platform, a data integration and service platform, and an open-source application platform.
• Digital twin technology can enhance urban governance and sustainability by enabling 3D simulation for optimal city layout, tracking hazardous materials, and optimizing resource allocation for green transitions in logistics.
• The report envisions the evolution of digital twin cities into 'Metavercities,' which integrate augmented, virtual, and mixed reality to create immersive digital spaces that can serve as new engines of economic growth through virtual stores and services.
• The global digital twin market is projected to reach $48.2 billion by 2026, while China's specific digital twin city market is expected to reach $17.3 billion by 2025.

APA

World Economic Forum (2023). Digital Twin Cities: Key Insights and Recommendations. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Digital_Twin_Cities_2023.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Digital Twin Cities: Key Insights and Recommendations. 2023. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Digital_Twin_Cities_2023.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Digital Twin Cities: Key Insights and Recommendations |date=August 2023 |url=https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Digital_Twin_Cities_2023.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2023digital, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Digital Twin Cities: Key Insights and Recommendations}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2023}, month = aug, url = {https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Digital_Twin_Cities_2023.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }