diff --git a/.github/workflows/action-conda-publish.yml b/.github/workflows/action-conda-publish.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c2aa1e40ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/action-conda-publish.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+name: Anaconda Publish
+
+on:
+  release:
+    types: [published]
+  # use this to test before actual release and publish
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - master
+
+jobs:
+
+  publish:
+    name: publish / python-3.8 / ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: 'ubuntu-latest'
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+      - uses: goanpeca/setup-miniconda@v1
+        with:
+          auto-update-conda: true
+          python-version: "3.8"
+          miniconda-version: "latest"
+          channels: conda-forge
+      - name: Show conda config
+        shell: bash -l {0}
+        run: |
+          conda info
+          conda list
+          conda config --show-sources
+          conda config --show
+      - name: Python info
+        shell: bash -l {0}
+        run: |
+          which python
+          python --version
+      - name: Install build dependencies
+        shell: bash -l {0}
+        run: conda install -y conda-build conda-verify ripgrep anaconda-client
+      - name: Build the conda package
+        shell: bash -l {0}
+        run: |
+          conda config --set anaconda_upload no
+          export BUILD_FOLDER=/tmp/esmvaltool/_build
+          mkdir -p $BUILD_FOLDER
+          conda build package \
+            --channel esmvalgroup --channel conda-forge \
+            --croot $BUILD_FOLDER \
+      - name: Push the package to anaconda cloud
+        if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags')
+        shell: bash -l {0}
+        run: |
+          export BUILD_FOLDER=/tmp/esmvaltool/_build
+          # use --label test before actual release and check all works well
+          anaconda --token ${{ secrets.ANACONDA_TOKEN }} upload --user esmvalgroup $BUILD_FOLDER/noarch/*.tar.bz2
+  verify:
+    name: verify / python-${{ matrix.python-version }} / ${{ matrix.os }}
+    if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags')
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        os: ['ubuntu-latest']  # may extent to osx in the future
+        python-version: ["3.6", "3.7", "3.8"]
+    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
+    needs: publish
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: "0"
+      - uses: goanpeca/setup-miniconda@v1
+        with:
+          python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+          miniconda-version: "latest"
+          channels: esmvalgroup,conda-forge
+      - shell: bash -l {0}
+        run: conda --version
+      - shell: bash -l {0}
+        run: which conda
+      - shell: bash -l {0}
+        run: python -V
+      - shell: bash -l {0}
+        run: conda install esmvaltool
+      - shell: bash -l {0}
+        run: esmvaltool --help
+      - shell: bash -l {0}
+        run: esmvaltool version
diff --git a/.github/workflows/action-pypi-build-and-deploy.yml b/.github/workflows/action-pypi-build-and-deploy.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2d56717697
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/action-pypi-build-and-deploy.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+name: PyPi Build and Deploy 🐍📦
+
+on:
+  release:
+    types: [published]
+  # use this for testing
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - master
+
+jobs:
+  build-n-publish:
+    name: Build and publish ESMValTool on PyPi
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@master
+      - name: Set up Python 3.8
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v1
+        with:
+          python-version: 3.8
+      - name: Install pep517
+        run: >-
+          python -m
+          pip install
+          pep517
+          --user
+      - name: Build a binary wheel and a source tarball
+        run: >-
+          python -m
+          pep517.build
+          --source
+          --binary
+          --out-dir dist/
+          .
+      # Publish on Test PyPi; uncomment to test
+      # and remember to adjust the triggers above
+      # - name: Publish distribution 📦 to Test PyPI
+      #   uses: pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish@master
+      #   with:
+      #     password: ${{ secrets.test_pypi_password }}
+      #     repository_url: https://test.pypi.org/legacy/
+
+      # Publish on PyPi
+      - name: Publish distribution 📦 to PyPI
+        if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags')
+        uses: pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish@master
+        with:
+          password: ${{ secrets.pypi_password }}
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..121a39f5f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+[build-system]
+requires = ["setuptools >= 40.6.0", "wheel"]
+build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index bd22c5825d..135d35a5c7 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@
 
 from setuptools import Command, setup
 
-from esmvaltool import __version__
+sys.path.insert(0, os.path.dirname(__file__))
+from esmvaltool import __version__  # noqa: E402
 
 PACKAGES = [
     'esmvaltool',