In a statement released by his spokesperson, Ban " wholeheartedly welcomes that G8 leaders have agreed on a strong and early action to combat climate change," and "is greatly encouraged by their commitment to a multilateral process within the UN framework."

The Secretary-General has placed great diplomatic efforts in getting the G8 leaders to acknowledge the central role of the United Nations and its Framework Convention on Climate Change as the forum for climate change negotiations, the spokesperson said.

"The acceptance by the leaders of their responsibility to act on emission reductions and eventual cuts is to be commended, as is their stated intention to conclude the negotiations on a post-2012 agreement by 2009," Ban added.

Leaders from the Group of Eight (G8) leading industrial powers sealed on Thursday a compromise on climate change. According to the deal, the G8 leaders have agree to "seriously consider" the decisions made by the European Union, Canada and Japan of cutting carbon emissions by 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. They also agreed to tackle climate change within the framework of the United Nations.