We reflect on the development of digital twins of the Earth, which we associate with a reductionist view of nature as a machine. The projects of digital twins deviate from contemporary scientific paradigms in the treatment of complexity and uncertainty, and does not engage with critical and interpretative social sciences. We contest the utility of digital twins for addressing climate change issues and discuss societal risks associated with the concept, including the twins' potential to reinforce economicism and governance by numbers, emphasizing concerns about democratic accountability. We propose a more balanced alternative, advocating for independent institutions to develop diverse models, prioritize communication with simple heuristic‐based models, collect comprehensive data from various sources, including traditional knowledge, and shift focus away from physics‐centered variables to inform climate action. We argue that the advancement of digital twins should hinge on stringent controls, favoring a nuanced, interdisciplinary, and democratic approach that prioritizes societal well‐being over blind pursuit of computational sophistication.This article is categorized under: Climate Models and Modeling > Earth System Models Climate Models and Modeling > Knowledge Generation with Models Climate, History, Society, Culture > Disciplinary Perspectives

中文翻译：

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将数字双胞胎带回地球


我们反思地球数字孪生的发展，我们将其与将自然视为机器的还原论观点联系在一起。数字孪生项目在处理复杂性和不确定性方面偏离了当代科学范式，并且不涉及批判性和解释性社会科学。我们对数字孪生在解决气候变化问题方面的效用提出质疑，并讨论与该概念相关的社会风险，包括数字孪生强化经济主义和数字治理的潜力，强调对民主问责制的担忧。我们提出了一个更加平衡的替代方案，倡导独立机构开发多样化的模型，优先考虑与简单的启发式模型的沟通，从包括传统知识在内的各种来源收集全面的数据，并将焦点从以物理为中心的变量转移到为气候行动提供信息。我们认为，数字孪生的进步应取决于严格的控制，支持细致入微、跨学科和民主的方法，优先考虑社会福祉而不是盲目追求计算复杂性。本文分类为：气候模型和建模 > 地球系统模型 气候模型和建模 > 通过模型生成知识 气候、历史、社会、文化 > 学科观点