Fabian Borg

Fabian Borg is the Scientific and Strategic Lead of the Research Innovation Unit (RIU), a specialist scientific entity established under Malta’s Local Government framework. With over a decade of pioneering work in climate innovation, Fabian has led the RIU to become one of the most recognised subnational climate action units across the EU. His mission has consistently focused on overcoming scientific complexity and delivering operational tools to public authorities and frontliners.

In December 2024, Fabian launched PHASE 2, an AI-powered Digital Twin platform capable of simulating climate impacts with scientific-grade accuracy. PHASE 2 integrates real-time satellite data, 3D geospatial layers, hydrodynamic models, and urban analytics, creating Malta’s first fully-fledged climate Digital Twin: DTMT-01. This groundbreaking development has positioned Malta as a European leader in digital twin-based climate resilience.

On 25 February 2025, Fabian presented PHASE 2 to the European Commission in Brussels, during a joint session with DG CLIMA and DG CNECT. His pitch introduced a unifying framework that bridges Copernicus, Destination Earth, and Climate-Adapt, while launching the concept of “Climate Command”, a shift beyond passive adaptation into proactive, foresight-based operational readiness. This contribution has been acknowledged by EU institutions and is being explored for EU-wide application.

Fabian’s scientific work is grounded in practical realities. His studies on Urban Heat Islands (UHI) in Malta, using Landsat and Sentinel satellite datasets, revealed critical limitations in Nature-Based Solutions under extreme heat. This led to his advocacy for hybrid climate strategies—merging NBS with ethical geoengineering approaches such as microalgae, biochar deployment, and outdoor air purification to hydrate and reactivate vegetation in urban zones.

He has represented Malta at major EU events, including the European Environment Agency’s EIONET meeting in Vienna and the European Space Agency’s “New Capabilities and Countries in European Space” conference in Frascati, Rome. His presentation at ESA introduced Malta’s climate twin and its unique 3D simulation of extreme weather events such as Medicane Helios.

In April 2024, Fabian addressed the Parliament of Malta during the “Ġenerazzjoni Klima” conference, presenting the Urban Heat Island App and the Malta Climate Change Impact Analysis Heat Severity App. These tools highlighted the severity of heat over the Maltese Archipelago, using thermal remote sensing from NASA/USGS Landsat satellites to convert data into public-facing scientific visualizations through web apps. His presentation underscored the urgent need for climate adaptation measures and showcased RIU’s commitment to actionable science. Source

Fabian’s work has been featured in various media outlets:

  1. Lovin Malta reported on his presentation to Parliament, highlighting the alarming increase in urban temperatures between 2019 and 2023. Read more
  2. Times of Malta covered his research on temperature discrepancies in urban areas, emphasizing the impact of urban heat islands on local communities. Read more
  3. Xjenza published research findings from the VARCITIES project, co-authored by Fabian, focusing on environmental conditions and health-related risks in Gżira. Read more

In parallel, Fabian continues to contribute to key EU-funded projects including JUSTNature, GoGreenRoutes, VARCITIES, and multilateral platforms on climate data interoperability. His ability to merge scientific, digital, and administrative disciplines has placed him at the forefront of international collaboration on climate resilience.

Fabian is also the recipient of the Malta Intellectual Property Award for Scientific Innovation 2020. His innovations continue to be featured across both scientific and youth outreach platforms, including national expos and educational programmes.

As co-lead of the RIU alongside Mandy Farrugia, Fabian continues to champion science-driven governance, climate foresight, and EU policy integration through RIU’s forward-facing motto: “We Simulate, So You Can Adapt.”

For more information on Fabian’s projects and ongoing initiatives, visit the RIU Projects Portal.

Fabian Borg giving a presentation at the European Space Agency (ESA)