HEILIGENDAMM (Germany), June 7 (RIA Novosti) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday that a new agreement replacing the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012, could be reached by 2009.

Angela Merkel, hosting the summit of the Group of Eight leading industrialized nations in the Baltic resort of Heiligendamm, told journalists that progress had been reached at talks between leaders on the climate change issue.

Merkel, a former environment minister who holds a doctorate in physical chemistry, has put climate change at the top of her country's presidency of the G8, and has been pushing for an international commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by the middle of the century.

While G8 leaders have agreed to introduce into the final summit communique an item on "substantial cuts", it remains clear that no binding commitments on emissions have yet been reached.

The chancellor said a key achievement at the talks was that Canada, the U.S. and Japan had pledged to join the emission reduction target proposed by Germany "with a clear pledge to make up their minds by the start of the Bali conference, due to take place late this year."

"So, we can hope for reaching a post-Kyoto agreement by 2009," she said, adding that she was satisfied with the compromise reached.

The Kyoto Protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which sets greenhouse gas emission targets for the period up to 2012, came into force two years ago, following ratification by 141 countries, which together account for over 55% of global emissions.

The United States, the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, refused to ratify the protocol, rendering it ineffective.

A second working session of the G8 leaders is underway in Heiligendamm. It is believed to be dedicated to climate change and efficient energy use.

U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair said the consensus reached on the issue of fighting climate change was "a major, major step forward."