Climate monitoring group forms

ANTALYA, Turkey, Feb. 23 (UPI) -- Delegates at a climate change forum in Turkey agreed to establish an open panel of experts to focus on climate data management and monitoring.

More than 100 experts from 84 countries are in the midst of the 15th session of the Commission for Climatology of the World Meteorological Organization, scheduled through Wednesday.

Delegates agreed to establish a panel to oversee climate data management, monitoring and risk management, the WMO announced.

WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud said challenges from climate change are "real" and impact "every" social, economic and environmental sector.

The secretary-general hailed the efforts of the climatology commission but called for special emphasis on producing timely and reliable climate advisories, the WMO said.

The international community met in Copenhagen, Denmark, for two weeks in December to find a replacement regime for the expiring Kyoto Protocol. Delegates at the Copenhagen summit agreed to "take note" of a global warming accord, though no concrete agreement was formed.

The United Nations is the host for climate talks in Germany in June. World leaders resume their climate talks in Mexico City late this year.