Shell, Statoil among energy companies forging climate advice group

LONDON, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Representatives from energy companies including oil heavyweights Shell (LSE: RDSB.L - news) and Statoil (Hamburg: 1245893.HM - news) have joined forces to advise on making cleaner energy decisions, the latest push by energy firms to become more pro-active on climate issues.

Shell Chairman Chad Holliday, Statoil Vice-President Bjorn Otto Sverdrup and RWE Chief Executive Peter Terium are among a list of commissioners acting in a personal capacity to advise governments on how to change their energy markets without damaging the environment.

"It (Other OTC: ITGL - news) is inherently difficult to change from proven development paths to something more fundamentally uncertain, but change we must," the so-called Energy Transitions Commission said in a launch paper seen by Reuters.

The group said it aims to help decision-makers in making informed choices by providing research and encouraging debate.

The commission will be formally launched at an event in Texas on Monday.

The initiative follows closely in the footsteps of a call made by oil and gas companies, including Shell and Statoil (Xetra: 675213 - news) as well as BP, Total (Swiss: FP.SW - news) , BG Group (LSE: BG.L - news) and ENI (NYSE: E - news) , for the introduction of a carbon pricing system.

(Reporting by Karolin Schaps; editing by Susan Thomas)