Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S)

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) is one of six thematic services within the European Union's Copernicus Earth Observation Programme, implemented by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) on behalf of the European Commission. C3S provides free and open access to authoritative climate information — covering the past, present, and projected future — to support EU adaptation and mitigation policies as well as a wide range of commercial and scientific applications.

The core delivery mechanism is the Climate Data Store (CDS), a web portal and API platform that hosts climate datasets, tools, and interactive applications. Key data products include ERA5, the fifth-generation global atmospheric reanalysis covering 1940 to the present at 31 km resolution and 137 vertical levels; Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) derived from satellite Earth observations and in-situ measurements; regional and global climate projections; and seasonal forecasts. The CDS feeds directly from multiple satellite missions including Copernicus Sentinel satellites and historical Earth observation archives, as well as surface-based observing networks. A Python API (cdsapi / ecmwf-datastores-client) and a web-based toolbox enable programmatic and interactive data access, batch retrieval, and custom workflow building. C3S's Sectoral Information System (SIS) delivers sector-tailored tools for energy, water management, agriculture, and urban planning. More than 260 organisations across Europe contribute to the service's implementation through competitive tenders.

Capabilities:

• ERA5 global atmospheric reanalysis (1940–present, 31 km, 137 levels, hourly)
• Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) from satellite EO and in-situ observations
• Seasonal forecasts and climate projections for adaptation planning
• Climate Data Store web portal with interactive toolbox and workflow builder
• Python CDS API (cdsapi) for batch data retrieval and integration
• Sectoral Information System (SIS) tools for energy, water, agriculture, and urban sectors
• Free and open data access - no licensing cost for any user