Data
Doing research on China has three data traps, availability is the first, accessibility is the second, and credibility is the third. So I create a page for China’s energy, environment, and climate change data sharing. Hope this will save you some time and give you a byte on China's data and beyond.
Problems at a Glance
Guan, D. et al., (2012). The gigatonne gap in China’s carbon dioxide inventories. Nature Climate Change: 2, 672–675.
Reuters, (2010). China’s GDP is man-made, unreliable: top leader; Economist, (2010). Keqiang ker-ching.
China Statistical Data
China Statistical Yearbook: See original source at National Bureau of Statistics online database to download the yearbooks since 1997.
China Energy Databook by China Energy Group at LBL.
China's provincial population, GDP, electricity consumption, and tertiary GDP share 1992-2012, Stata ready, compiled by Gang He and Alexandria Yuan.
China Energy and Electricity Mix 2000-2012 (data), compiled by Gang He with ERI data.
Common Used Database for Chinese Micro-Economics Research summarized by OU Zhenzhong and LI Yunsen of Xiamen University, 2012.
China Environmental Data
China AQI data by city and sites, with daily/hourly PM2.5/PM10/AQI/SO2/NO2/O3/CO Beijing data, and national data. [Cloud link for all data and site list]
U.S. Embassy PM2.5 historical data of Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Shenyang.
Global Surface PM2.5, Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group at Dalhousie University
World Energy Data
BP Energy Statistical Review: 2008 - 2021.
IEA, World Energy Outlook series. Download for free 1994 - 2020 in the publication section.
EIA, International Energy Outlook series. Check previous editions 1995-2020 from the archive.
Power System Data
Climate Data
Worldclim has global climate grids with a spatial resolution of about 1 square kilometer.
Carbon Emission Data
China Emission Accounts and Datasets (CEADs)
Multiple-resolution emission inventory for China (MEIC)
IEA (2011), CO₂ Emissions from Fuel Combustion. (download)
Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, US Department of Energy
Greenhouse Gas Protocol and Earthtrends Climate and Atmosphere, World Resources Institute
Energy and Carbon Emission Harmonized Database, IIASA
Data API
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Excel Energy Data Add-In
The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Economic Data (FRED) Add-In
Data Conversion Factors
BP Energy Statistical Review Conversion Factors.
MIT Energy Units & Conversions Fact Sheet. (download)
Data Visualization
Data is a representation of the real world and honest life. It’s not just a bucket of numbers. There are stories in that bucket. There’s meaning, truth, and beauty. Data visualization is an art of letting the numbers speak, sing and shine.
I like the new EIA data protocol, the REN21 renewables interactive map, the Gapminder, the Open Energy Info, the Cal-Adapt, the Global Energy Observation, and the Google Public Data Explorer.
There are many more: Wind Map using data from the National Digital Forecast Database. China Global Investment Tracker Interactive Map. Learn more visualization in IBM Many Eyes and you can create your own fancy charts.
Data Interpretation
Ghanem, Dalia, and Junjie Zhang (2014). Effortless Perfection: Do Chinese Cities Manipulate Air Pollution Data?. Journal of Environmental Economics and Management 68(2): 203–225.
Macknick, Jordan. 2011. “Energy and CO2 Emission Data Uncertainties.” Carbon Management 2 (2): 189-205.
Jonathan Sinton and David Fridley (2001), A Guide to China's Energy Statistics. LBNL-49024.
Jean Laherrere (2009), Oil peak or plateau? St. Andrews Economy Forum. ASPO France, France.
Acknowledgment
I'd like to thank CHEN Yu, Cyril Cassisa for their comments and contribution to the data sharing.
Disclaimer: If not specified, all the data and information shared above are from public sources and are for research sharing purpose only. Any distribution for commercial use or for quotation should be led to the original sources. I’m not responsible for the accuracy of the data and not in a position to help you to collect data or answer your data questions. If you’d like to share your data, you are welcome to let me know.
Last updated: January 27, 2017