More from Gore's Alliance for Climate Protection

From this article:

The lack of public engagement on the issue is major concern to the ACP, a broad coalition of groups and businesses chaired by Al Gore, and its CEO Cathy Zoi, former Clinton Administration staffer, former deputy director of the NSW Department of Environment and executive director of the Bayard Group.

Zoi estimates that in the US, about 9 per cent of the population can be considered “activist”, meaning that they understand the issues and were doing something about it. A further 35 per cent are engaged, 38 per cent are in a state of “fear and confusion”, while 18 per cent are ignorant of the issues, or in denial.

Zoi doesn’t hold out much hope for the latter group, but is targeting the 70 odd per cent in the middle in an attempt to achieve a “tipping point” in public opinion that will force US legislators into action.

To do that, ACC plans to spend “tens of millions” this year and up to $300 million over the next three years on media campaigns and advertising blitzes.

It can bet the opposing view will be equally well funded – the fossil fuel lobby is already engaged in campaigns that describe coal mining technologies as “beyond clean”, and asks viewers if they can think of how many jets might be powered by wind or solar energy.