diff --git a/dfm_tools/download.py b/dfm_tools/download.py
index b4205cbf6..11352c939 100644
--- a/dfm_tools/download.py
+++ b/dfm_tools/download.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ def download_ERA5(varkey,
     cds_credentials()
     
     # import cdsapi and create a Client instance # https://cds.climate.copernicus.eu/api-how-to
-    c = cds_client_withargs()
+    c = cdsapi.Client()
 
     #dictionary with ERA5 variables #this is not actively used
     variables_dict = {'ssr':'surface_net_solar_radiation',
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ def cds_credentials():
     
     try:
         # checks whether CDS apikey is in environment variable or ~/.cdsapirc file and if it is in correct format
-        c = cds_client_withargs()
+        c = cdsapi.Client()
         # checks whether credentials (uid and apikey) are correct
         c.retrieve(name="dummy", request={})
     except Exception as e:
@@ -164,17 +164,6 @@ def cds_remove_credentials():
         os.remove(file_cds_credentials)
 
 
-def cds_client_withargs():
-    """
-    Initialize a csdapi client with url and key from os environment variables
-    These are the default values for the url/key arguments, but somehow this 
-    is necessary to use the key/url from environment variables.
-    """
-    c = cdsapi.Client(url=os.environ.get("CDSAPI_URL"),
-                      key=os.environ.get("CDSAPI_KEY"))
-    return c
-
-
 def download_CMEMS(varkey,
                    longitude_min, longitude_max, latitude_min, latitude_max, 
                    date_min, date_max, freq='D',
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index f12961cb4..85d7ce746 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ dependencies = [
 	"bottleneck>=1.3.3",
 	#xugrid<0.9.0 does not support partitioned 1d2d grids
 	"xugrid>=0.9.0",
-	#cdsapi<0.6.1 is from Feb 2021 and does not support newer python versions
-	"cdsapi>=0.6.1",
+	#cdsapi<0.7.0 supports credentials from environment variables
+	"cdsapi>=0.7.0",
 	#pydap<3.4.0 is from May 2017 and does not support newer python versions
 	"pydap>=3.4.0",
 	#erddapy<2.0.0 does not support pandas>=2.0.0