Context and aim of the event
On 24 March 2026 the Copernicus service offered a compact training day for data journalists. The focus was on practical access to climate and atmospheric data and on methods to develop transparent, robust stories for reporting.
Why this matters for newsrooms
Climate topics are data‑driven: trends, extremes or air quality require validated measurement series, model products and their correct interpretation. The training demonstrated ways to efficiently unlock complex sources and to prepare content so that audiences gain orientation without obscuring central uncertainties.
C3S and CAMS at a glance
The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) provides long‑term climate information, such as global and regional temperature data, climate analyses and indicators for trend assessment. The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) monitors the composition of the atmosphere, including air pollutants and trace gases, and offers air quality forecasts. Data are available via the Climate Data Store (CDS) and the Atmosphere Data Store (ADS).
Tools for the newsroom
Presentations included the Climate Pulse application, which provides daily maps and charts of global surface air and sea surface temperatures. In addition, the Data Stores offer complete datasets for download to enable bespoke analyses.
Agenda and materials
The agenda combined introductions, recorded presentations and interactive tutorials. The training explained the structure of the databases, search and download processes and example analyses. Speakers were Mark Parrington (introduction to CAMS), Julien Nicolas (introduction to C3S) and Anna Lombardi (best practices for visualisation). Recordings, presentations, Jupyter notebook tutorials and e‑learning modules are available.
Technical requirements
Participants were advised to set up an ECMWF account in advance. It enables downloads from the Data Stores and access to further training materials. Basic knowledge of data analysis tools is sufficient to start; the Jupyter notebooks guide users step by step from loading data to visualisation.
Visualisation: standards for clear statements
Key guidelines covered clear axis labels, representing uncertainty, accessible colour schemes and avoiding misleading scales. Examples showed readable time series, consistent map legends and common misinterpretations to watch for. The aim is transparency about findings and their uncertainties.
From research to story
For day‑to‑day reporting, current weather and temperature maps are useful; historical series support trend analyses; model‑based forecasts help assess air quality. Combining C3S and CAMS products makes it possible to link long‑term climate trends with short‑term atmospheric events.
Further offerings and contact
All materials including presentations and recordings can be accessed. Additional MOOCs and Jupyter notebooks support deeper self‑study. Questions can be sent by email to copernicus-press@ecmwf.int.
Next steps for newsrooms
Short term: create an ECMWF account, watch the recording, work through one or two Jupyter notebooks and download initial datasets. Medium term: embed visualisation standards across the newsroom and systematically underpin data‑driven questions with C3S and CAMS data.
Copernicus Climate Change Service
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