Access the UNFCCC Data Interface using the Flex Query API

The UNFCCC provides access to National Inventory Reporting (NIR), World Bank and Compilation and Accounting (CAD) data through its Data Interface. Information on data availability is given here, with the most current observations from 27 September, 2022 (as of 12 January, 2023).

The flex query API allows programmatically downloading NIR and World Bank data. See the API's documentation for additional information at https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/transparency-and-reporting/greenhouse-gas-data/data-interface-help, but note this refers to the GUI implementation. The Flex Query API is made available in remis through flex_query(). Downloads require a combination of id values for:

1. Parties

2. Years

3. Variables

The corresponding steps for querying are then:

1. Identify a party of interest in rem_init()$parties, and note whether it is Annex-One or Non-Annex-One, and extract the id.

2. Choose (a subset of) years based on the Annex-One or Non-Annex-One party in rem_init()$years.

3. Select variables from rem_init()$variables based on based on the Annex-One or Non-Annex-One party. A helper function select_varid() allows narrowing down based on reporting categories, classifications, measures, units and gasses (ccmug's). See select_varid() for more information. Selected variables can be contextualized further by using get_variables(), which provides text representations of ccmug id's.

Usage

flex_query(
  rms,
  variable_ids,
  party_ids,
  year_ids,
  path = "api/records/flexible-queries/",
  pretty = TRUE
)

Arguments

rms

list, object from rem_init().

variable_ids

numeric, variableIds of interest

party_ids

numeric, partyIds of interest

year_ids

numeric, yearIds of interest

path

character, default is 'api/records/flexible-queries/'

pretty

logical, should ids be transformed to text descriptions?

Value

data.frame with several id columns (either text or integers), and results as number_value or string_value.

Examples

# \donttest{

rem <- rem_init()
#> parsing api/parties/
#> parsing api/years/single
#> parsing api/dimension-instances/category
#> parsing api/dimension-instances/classification
#> parsing api/dimension-instances/measure
#> parsing api/dimension-instances/gas
#> parsing api/conversion/fq
#> parsing api/variables/fq/annexOne
#> parsing api/variables/fq/nonAnnexOne


cat1A1a <- rem$categories$annexOne[grepl("1.A.1.a.", rem$categories$annexOne$name), ]

# manually choose id
# cat1A1a$id[1]

# get variables
cat1A1a_variables <- get_variables(
  rms = rem,
  select_varid(
  vars = rem$variables$annexOne,
  cat1A1a$id[1])$variableId
)

#choose id:
var_id <-
  subset(cat1A1a_variables,
  classificationId == 'Total for category',
         measureId == 'Aggregate GHGs'
  )$variableId

# download data
cat1A1a_agg_ghg <- flex_query(
  rms = rem,
  variable_ids = var_id,
  party_ids = 13, # Germany
  year_ids = rem$years$annexOne$id)
#> Error in flex_query(rms = rem, variable_ids = var_id, party_ids = 13,     year_ids = rem$years$annexOne$id): Please provide numeric id's for: variableIds


# }