Drop Python version 3.8: (End of life=2024-10-07)

Author: shahramn

gribapi/gribapi.py

@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 
 @em Requirements:
 
-    - Python 3.8 or higher
+    - Python 3.9 or higher
     - NumPy
 
 """

setup.py

@@ -113,7 +113,6 @@ def shared(directory):
         "Development Status :: 4 - Beta",
         "Intended Audience :: Developers",
         "License :: OSI Approved :: Apache Software License",
-        "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8",
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9",
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10",
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11",

tox.ini

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ deps = -r{toxinidir}/ci/requirements-docs.txt
 commands = sphinx-build -W -b html docs build/sphinx/html
 
 [testenv:qc]
-basepython = python3.8
+basepython = python3.9
 # needed for pytest-cov
 usedevelop = true
 commands = pytest -v --flakes --pep8 --mccabe --cov=eccodes --doctest-glob="*.rst" --cov-report=html --cache-clear --basetemp={envtmpdir} {posargs}