UK National Theatre to end Shell link in "climate emergency"

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's National Theatre has decided to end its partnership with energy group Royal Dutch Shell <RDSa.L> as part of a broader "climate emergency" initiative to reduce its carbon impact.

The move came in the week that the Royal Shakespeare Company said it would drop BP Plc <BP.L> as its sponsor after young people told the theatre group its association with the energy company turned them off going to its plays.

"The National Theatre has declared a climate emergency today ... Shell have been valued and longstanding supporters of the National Theatre ... This membership will come to an end in June 2020," a National Theatre spokeswoman said.

Shell, which had been giving the theatre around 15,000 pounds a year as a corporate member, said "heightened awareness of climate change... is a good thing".

"As a company, we agree that urgent action is needed. What will really accelerate change is effective policy, investment in technology innovation and deployment, and changing customer behaviour," a Shell spokesman added.

(Reporting by Shadia Nasralla; Editing by Giles Elgood)