Environmental Data Explorer Webservices

If you want to use one of these services, please contact the Environmental Data Explorer team (see email/contact form at the bottom) to request permission. Thank you.

Working Examples:

GRID-Metadata-Search

This is a working example for the variable retrieval webservice. The UNEP/GRID website searches its own database as well as, via the webservice, the Environmental Data Explorer database of metadata. It then displays both results on the same page. UNEP ROE Country Profiles - Overview Map
(Intranet)

Intranet of the Regional Office of Europe, with Country Profile Information. Here, the WMS interface. UNEP ROE Country Profiles - Stats
(Intranet)

Intranet of the Regional Office of Europe, with Country Profile Information. Here the statistical country information interface.

Here is how it looks like in action. The variable IDs stocked in a PHP array can be easily adopted/changed.
Here is a preselection with GEO Indicators and given country.

URL: http://geodata.grid.unep.ch/webservices/geodata_roe_ws.php?wsdl
Parameters: ID, ISO, Years

ISDR Coordinates

This is a working example of the Country Coordinates webservice. The ISDR web page does first launch an XML webservice query to the Environmental Data Explorer server to retrieve the bounding box parameters for a country (specified with an ISO-3-Code) and then builds a URL with those parameters to send it to another (GRID) service where it retrieves the country map. GRIP Map & Country Profile

This is a working example of the WMS and Country Profile ("false way"). Country Names, ISO Codes and Coordinates

This is a working example of the Country Names and ISO extraction. The list of countries on the UNDP website is filled via a webservice. The following country profile page retrieves via a webservice the coordinates to define the bounding box of the map. UNEP.Net (graphexe, offline)

This is a working example of the graphexe-webservice. It's not an XML service; it's rather a direct URL use, accessing the file which generates the graph directly. One just needs a couple of parameters to add into the URL. (here) UNCTAD

This is a working example of a javascript driven table display and the graphexe-webservice. (here)

Testing Examples/Code:

Environmental Data Explorer - Get Metadata

WSDL, DataSetSearch

This service enables a search for metadata information, such as variable definition, units, abstract, source etc. for a given ID.
Parameters:
ID of the Variable (for example 1 or 1213); mandatory
Environmental Data Explorer - Keyword Search

WSDL, RetrieveMetadataInformation

This service is an example for a keyword search of the Environmental Data Explorer, that is: Entering a keyword and selecting a variable. One can restict the search to a specific UNEP Priority Area.
Parameters:
Keyword (for example "water" or "population"); mandatory
UNEP Priority Area (for example "climate change"); not mandatory
Environmental Data Explorer - Display Values

WSDL, DataSearch
Example SOAP Request

This web service returns what is normally displayed on the "table"-page of the Environmental Data Explorer: the national statisitcs.
Parameters:
  ID of the Variable (for example 1 or 1213); mandatory
  GEO-Region, if one wants to display only countries for a specific region; not mandatory
  Country, if one wants to display only a specific country; accepts GEO-ID, ISO-2 or ISO-3; not mandatory
Retrieve Country Names List

WSDL, RetrieveCountryName

Retrieve the list of country names plus GEO-ID, ISO-2 and ISO-3 codes, and coordinates (west, south, east north).
Retrieve Country Values

WSDL, RetrieveCountryValues

Retrieve data values from all existing tables for a specific country.
Country Specifics

Display some basic information about the country, name, sovereign etc.

URL: http://geodata.grid.unep.ch/webservices/geodata_countries_name_ws.php?wsdl
Parameters: id_geo, language

Request Updated Variables

Receive update variables, that is the data values for those variables/datasets which have been added or updated since a given date.

URL: http://geodata.grid.unep.ch/webservices/geodata_data_update_ws?wsdl
Parameters: date, region

WMS / WFS Services:

WMS - GetMap

The WMS-GetMap command to retrieve a map, indicating specific layers.

WMS - GetCapabilities
WMS - GetLegend
WMS for GIS use (uDig, ArcGIS, ...)
WMS in Browser - with latest available year only
WMS in Browser - with year indicated in layername
WMS in Browser - with flexible year parameter

GetFeatureInfo

Attention: There are three different map files: a) geo_wms_complete_last_year, b) geo_wms_complete_all_years, c) geo_wms_complete_flexible_year. WFS - GetMap

The WFS-GetMap command to retrieve a map, indicating specific layers.

WFS - GetCapabilities
WFS - GetLegend
WFS for GIS use (uDig, ArcGIS, ...)
WFS with latest available year only WMS - GetMap (2) - Country Map

This is a webmapping service, which produces an overview map for a specific country, which one can specifiy in the URL. WMS - GetMap (SVG)

The WMS-GetMap command to retrieve a map in SVG format, indicating specific layers. WMS - Integration into ArcMap

There is now the possibility to integrate data from the Environmental Data Explorer via WMS (Web Map Server) in any kind of GIS application which does support WMS standards. ArcGIS is not a big fan of OpenStandards, but after some reading and tweaking it does accept the WMS file. (Here is a movie showing the integration.) You need however the ServicePack 2 or 3 installed, if you are using 9.0 For 8.x versions there is an extension you can download somewhere on the Web. And then follow the "description" here. This is the URL you need: http://129.194.231.185/cgi-bin/mapserv?map=/www/geodataportal/htdocs/mod_map/geo_wms_complete.map& Send Image (Graph...) via Webservice

Uses for the moment a static image, encodes it and sends it then with the nusoap webservice to the client. Displays Country Map and Overview Map

This is not a real webservice. It in principal only calls a php file, passes with the URL a parameter (ISO code) and then displays the maps accordingly.


			© 2006 United Nations Environment Programme Web site manager: EDE Team of UNEP/DEWA/GRID-Geneva The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is not responsible for the content of web sites and information resources which may be reached through UNEP. The access provided to these sites does not constitute an endorsement by UNEP of the sponsors of the sites or the information contained herein. Use of the information contained in or referenced by UNEP is at the users sole risk. The designations employed and the presentation of material do not imply any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNEP or the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.