About C3S

• • The Copernicus Climate Change Service (abbreviated as C3S) is one of the six thematic services provided by the European Union’s Copernicus Programme. 

• Copernicus is the European Union’s Earth Observation Programme. It consists of a complex set of systems that collect data from multiple sources: earth observation satellites and in situ sensors, such as ground stations, airborne and sea borne sensors. 

• Copernicus processes these data and provides users with information through a set of services that address six thematic areas: land, marine, atmosphere, climate change, emergency management and security.

• The Copernicus Climate Change Service provides authoritative information about the world’s past, present and future climate. 
• The freely accessible high-quality data, tools and information help businesses, scientists and policymakers to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change.

Why in News?

• According to the European Union’s Copernicus climate monitor (C3S), the Antarctic Ocean area covered by ice was the lowest on record for January, exposing Earth to even more planet-warming heat.
• The Antarctic ice is known for deflecting some amount of sun rays and keeping the temperatures liveable. With this ice buffer zone melting with human activity, the protective layer further depletes and raises the temperature to the point of heat waves. 

Impacts

• Melting sea ice has no discernible impact on sea levels because the ice is already in ocean water. But it is problematic because it helps accelerate global warming.
• About 90% of the Sun’s energy that hits white sea ice is reflected back into space. But when sunlight hits dark, unfrozen ocean water, nearly the same amount of that energy is absorbed instead, contributing directly to a warming planet.
• Globally, 2022 was recorded among the warmest years on record despite the cooling influence of the natural La Nina weather pattern. 
• Europe clocked some of the deadliest heat waves that fuelled droughts and wildfires on the continent. Other regions, such as the eastern United States, Canada, and Mexico, also experienced extreme heat. 

https://climate.copernicus.eu/