Bristol-headquartered communications consultancy JBP has launched a sub-brand dedicated to helping organisations “mobilise, generate and promote positive action” to address climate change.
Called Climate Communications and operating as a subsidiary of the agency, it will be headed by JBP managing director Chris Lawrance, pictured, and will provide strategic and tactical communications support to increase understanding and awareness of climate change. 
This will include driving positive behavioural change and action among the public and employers, attracting investors to fund climate friendly initiatives and infrastructure, influencing central and regional government decision making to support carbon-free developments, and supporting planning applications for clean energy developments.
The subsidiary will focus on a number of primary target market opportunities, including local authorities’ climate action programmes, low carbon and smart energy developments, innovative green goods, services and technologies, and sustainable housing, infrastructure and transportation. 
It recently held its first event under its own name – a webinar with a panel of environmental policy and communication specialists which looked at the key challenges and opportunities facing local councils across the UK in getting stakeholders to change their behaviours.
Chris Lawrance, who heads a team of six at Climate Communications, said the low carbon economy, which is worth an estimated £200bn in the UK alone, presented significant opportunities for the PR industry as communications will have a vital role to play in getting individuals, communities and organisations to call time on climate change.
“We’ve operated in the green sector for a number of years but, due to the size of the market opportunity, we wanted to invest in a dedicated and specialist operation,” he added.
“This sector is already proving to be a major fillip for us and recently we have secured business with councils to support their climate action programmes, a major renewable energy developer, a leading sustainable housebuilder and an international pioneer in new clean technology that will support the net zero ambitions of central and local government as well as industry. 
“We’re also seeing significant interest in the sustainable housing and transportation marketplace and from those launching green products and services.”
He said the new venture had been in the planning for some time but the agency felt now was the ideal time to launch it and grow its share in the green market in the wake of last year’s COP26.
“With local authorities setting in motion plans and developments in response to the climate emergencies, the transition in the energy landscape from fossil fuels to low carbon, renewable and smart energy alternatives, and with corporations increasingly embracing the United Nations’ Race to Net Zero challenge, there is a big requirement for external and internal communications and stakeholder engagement to make things happen,” he said.
JBP, which was launched in 1984 by Jennifer Bryant-Pearson, also has offices n Westminster, Cardiff, Manchester and Warwick.
Its national and international clients include Enterprise, First Bus, National Grid, Palletways, SodaStream and the UK Vaping Industry Association.
