 The paper proposes that a confluence of technology and social disruptors presents a pivotal moment in history to enable real-time, accelerated and integrated action that can adequately support a future Earth through transformational solutions. The authors suggest three guiding principles for enabling prosperous living in the 21st century, open data, real-world context, and informed visualization for decision support. These pivotal principles can be used as an elegant framework for action toward the digital Earth vision across local, regional, and international communities and organizations. This article was authored by Cheryl Desher, Timothy Forsman, Annapurna Vankeshwaran, and others.