Issued in October 2023
JC3 Climate Data Catalogue Relational Spreadsheet Structure (RSS)
Latest update: 29 December 2023
JC3 Sub-Committee on Bridging Data Gaps is pleased to inform that the World Bank has improved the Data Catalogue (DC) by introducing an enhanced version structured in a Relational Spreadsheet Structure (RSS), designed to optimise search capabilities, and streamline updates. This upgraded version incorporates key features to enhance user experience and overall functionality:
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More accessible – Users can navigate and utilise the DC more easily, enabling an improved search and filtering experience. The RSS structure allows users to eventually customise exports with potential to generate Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), enhancing its adaptability and interaction with external applications;
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Easier to maintain and integrate with other platforms – A structured set of spreadsheets lay the foundation for user-specific queries, scalability, and integration with diverse platforms, potentially extending compatibility to a fully relational database; and
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Expandable while ensuring harmonisation – Designed to accommodate new data inputs into the DC while maintaining harmonisation with existing entries, ensuring a coherent and consistent dataset as the DC evolves.
The current Excel format with RSS version is accessible through the JC3 website at this link.
About JC3 Climate Data Catalogue
Following the inaugural release of the Joint Committee on Climate Change (JC3) Climate Data Catalogue in December 2022[1], the JC3 Sub-Committee on Bridging Data Gaps (Sub-Committee) has conducted the first annual review on the Data Catalogue (DC). Specifically, the DC serves as:
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A source of reference for climate and environmental data relevant to use cases in the financial sector. It includes data that are readily available, partially available, and unavailable as well as observations on data gaps.
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An avenue to promote broader awareness on the prevailing data gaps and serve as a call to action for data providers to improve the availability and accessibility of data.
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Improve users’ accessibility to relevant data sources. The DC contains links to data sources and does not hold any datasets within the DC.
The DC is compiled by the Sub-Committee on Bridging Data Gaps established under JC3, based on critical data needed by the financial sector to support various use cases. The approach is modelled after the Network for Greening the Financial System’s (NGFS) systematic process in compiling the NGFS Directory . The DC predominantly focuses on Malaysian climate and environmental data, as global data items and sources are already extensively covered by the NGFS Directory.
The compilation is based on the collective contribution by the members of the JC3 and its sub-committees and compiled on a best effort basis, and may not reflect new data sources that may emerge in between updates to the DC. Users would need to make their own assessments of the information that best meet their needs.
[1] Refer to the “JC3 Report on Climate Data Catalogue: Key Findings and Recommendations to Bridge Data Gaps (JC3 website link)” which summarises key findings and outlines recommendations to bridge the data gaps.
About 2023 Climate Data Catalogue Review
In the course of carrying out this review, the Sub-Committee has obtained feedback from various users, ranging from financial sector comprising financial institutions, asset managers, as well as JC3 members including associations and international organisations. In addition, the Sub-Committee enlisted the World Bank’s assistance to assess and provide feedback on the comprehensiveness of the data items, use cases and metrics, quality and availability of data sources provided in the DC. The World Bank has also developed an enhanced version of the DC in a Relational Spreadsheet Structure (RSS) that can further facilitate searching capabilities and updates and will be released soon.
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In this review, the Sub-Committee has updated the DC by adding new data items and sources to reflect current data needs and developments, such as latest recommendations of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosure (TNFD) and reporting standards issued by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). In addition, the Sub-Committee aims to improve users’ accessibility and experience through enhancing the current Excel format and launching the web-based version, accessible through the JC3 website at http://Jc3malaysia.com.
Results of 2023 Climate Data Catalogue Review
The 2023 Climate Data Catalogue encompasses 128 unique environmental and climate-related data items, which is further dissected into various dimensions, culminating in a total of 249 granular data items. These data items are classified into 14 data groups such as GHG Emissions, Green/Sustainable Financing, Exposure to Physical Risks, and Non-renewable/Renewable Energy, and further mapped to the relevant use cases, as established by the Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS). Summary of Data Groups, Data Items and Status of Availability are provided in the Appendix 1.
Key statistics of the 2023 DC:
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An increase from 49% to 68% for the data which have been made available from identified data sources to meet user needs. Controlling for the increase of data items in 2023, the availability of the data items in the 2022 DC has seen a 6% improvement within one year period, rising from 49% to 55%. This notable increase can be attributed to wider data dissemination by government agencies such as flood-related information by the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) and the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
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Features 399 data sources from 135 data providers (e.g., Department of Statistics Malaysia, Energy Commission, World Bank, International Energy Agency, etc.);
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56% increase in data items (or 46 new data items) from previous year (2023: 128 unique with 249 granular data vs. 2022: 82 unique with 143 granular data items), mainly from energy, water, exposure to physical risks and GHG emissions data groups due to ISSB and TNFD requirements;
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43 data items from the 2022 DC are revised with additional standards/methodology, time series and data sources;
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Of the 68% of data items in the 2023 DC that are available:
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33% are readily available (e.g., Solar PV installed capacity and hydrogen/bioenergy demand projection);
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19% are proprietary in nature that requires subscription to access (e.g., ESG Scoring/Rating, Green Equities Index); and
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16% with gaps due to lack of granularity and limited time horizon (e.g., Government's sustainability-related financing needs, flood-related impacts).
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The 2023 DC in Excel format has undergone enhancements, with each row of the table now being made unique. This modification enables dynamic data filtration and improves search capabilities, enabling users to conduct more in-depth analysis. Additionally, for the convenience of general users who prefer swift data discovery, we have introduced a web-based version that offers a more user-friendly interface with enhanced functionality for efficient data search which is accessible via Data Catalogue (List) | JC3 (jc3malaysia.com).
Going forward …
The DC will continue to be updated annually, to ensure its relevance based on the latest data requirements, standards and data sources. The Sub-Committee welcomes feedback and suggestions to improve the comprehensiveness and usability of the DC, through the 'Suggestion/Feedback' section on JC3 website or via email to climatedc@bnm.gov.my. Such feedback will allow the Sub-Committee to continuously enhance the content and functionalities of the DC to meet the evolving needs of financial sector users.
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Moving forward, JC3 will continue to intensify efforts to collaborate with relevant public and private data providers to bridge data gaps and improve the availability and accessibility of environmental and climate related data items.
Appendix
2023 JC3 Climate Data Catalogue - Data Groups, Data Items and Status of Availability​
