I wouldn't so much say to encourage it, but rather to support him in his desire to climb/explore.

My first was a very imobile baby and as a toddler still is, thats just his personality, he's quiet and more emotionally aware than loud and active. So when my baby started crawling at 5 months, and standing not long after, then walking along furniture at 7 months i was getting grey hairs from all the near misses! He's 8 months and yesterday i went to the loo and came back and he was on our couch, how he climbed up there i have no idea as he's tiny for his age! He's had a lot of bumps and falls but i just make the house as padded and safe as possible and i figure he will not attempt anything he's not capable of.

The book "the continuum concept" goes in to the theory about babies attempting things with their own inate sense of safety and explains that our fears about them falling is often what causes accidents as we project this worry.

So i would supervise as much as possible and just make your home very soft and safe, we have lots of rugs as we have hard flooring, and have removed anything that has sharp corners, glass etc. Enjoy this stage, its very special!