The connotation, initial characteristics, and development trend of association and integration of the three concepts of metaverse, digital twin, and virtual geographic environment are scrutinized. The concept of geographic metaverse is proposed, and three types of digital geographic environments of the geographic metaverse are defined and distinguished based on the relationship between virtual and real contents and the parallel superposition of virtual and real spaces, that is, the virtual geographic environment of digital native, the virtual geographic environment of digital twin, and the augmented geographic environment of digital– real superposition. The essential characteristics of the geographic metaverse are discussed in terms of time–space, avatar, spatial reference system, and presence–absence. Based on the human–earth relationship and the technical requirements of geographic metaverse construction, the conceptual architecture of geographic metaverse platform is established. In the face of the emerging virtual geographic space, avatar society, and virtual–real composite human–land relationship system. In this paper we proposes to establish virtual geographic environment engineering and to promote the construction of geographic metaverse platform and related theoretical application research. Furthermore, grounded in the human-earth relationship and the technical prerequisites for the construction of the geographic metaverse, a conceptual architecture for a geographic metaverse platform is delineated. In light of the emergent virtual geographic sphere, avatar societies, and the composite virtual-real human-land relational framework, it is proposed to establish virtual geographic environment engineering as a pragmatic instrument for advancing the geographic metaverse. Virtual geographic environment engineering, predicated upon virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality technologies alongside geography, seeks to explicate fundamental theories, methodological frameworks, and the engineering creation and application of virtual geographic environments to bolster global and regional sustainability endeavors. A conceptual framework for the geographic metaverse is advanced, comprising three core components. Firstly, the “Human-Object-Field-Process” mapping modeling is advocated to facilitate a three-dimensional equivalence of virtual geographical environments. Secondly, the spatial information infrastructure underpinning the geographic metaverse, encapsulating sensing, computation, and terminal technologies, is expounded upon. Thirdly, emphasis is placed on virtual geographic experimentation and management optimization, enabling innovative practices such as virtual geographical simulations and the enhancement of real geographical systems, alongside virtual social geographic experiments and the optimization of digital societal systems. It is underscored that the development of the geographic metaverse remains in its nascent phase, beset by various theoretical and technical challenges including prospective social and ethical dilemmas, the specter of virtual economic bubbles, and legal quandaries. Nonetheless, the digital spatial domain, virtual human societies, the burgeoning digital creative economy, and the emergent virtual-real symbiotic milieu are projected to engender a novel form of composite computable human-land relationships, profoundly influencing the evolutionary trajectory of global and regional human-land systems and fostering sustainable societal development. In geographic metaverse, interdisciplinary and systematic innovative research endeavors are deemed imperative, necessitating breakthroughs in foundational theories, pivotal technologies, and engineering applications. This undertaking presents a new frontier, concurrently constituting an opportunity and challenge for the innovative advancement of virtual geographic environment engineering, geographical information science, and earth sciences alike. © 2024 Science Press. All rights reserved.
