The Fusion Footprint - Autumn 2025
Welcome to the first edition of the Fusion Footprint - the Open Fusion Collective’s quarterly newsletter that tracks the impact of fusion on society and the planet by bringing together the latest news, media and research on the social and ethical aspects of fusion.
From the Collective
Katherine Dunne - Nordic Lessons for European Fusion Development
Physicist Katherine Dunne wrote about her contribution to the European Commission’s consultation on the EU Fusion Strategy. By drawing on lessons from Nordic energy transitions, Katherine suggested that the EU Fusion Strategy should combine technological progress with meaningful democratic governance. To do this, she provided five key recommendations.
Abdus Saboor Shaik - How can Fusion be a Diplomatic Tool?
PhD researcher Abdus Saboor Shaik discussed how he thinks fusion can be used as a tool to facilitate global collaboration. He highlighted how fusion technology development offers the opportunity to share knowledge across borders, shape sustainable policy initiatives and address the global energy crisis, despite geopolitical tensions.
The Open Fusion Collective welcomes contributions of all kinds – from opinion pieces and research summaries to artistic expressions. We’d love to hear from you! Contact us at hello@openfusioncollective.org to get started.
News & Media
Energy Subcommittee Hearing - Igniting America’s Energy Future: The Promise and Progress of Fusion Power
In the US, a Congressional subcommittee hearing was held to consider the progress and potential of fusion energy. Witnesses from academia, national labs and private companies suggested that federal funding, public-private partnerships, and a clear national strategy for fusion would bring the ‘clean energy promise of fusion’ closer to reality, while also keeping the US internationally competitive in the field.
Read here the report Fusion Forward - Powering America's Future by the Commission on the Scaling of Fusion Energy
Financial Times - Can nuclear fusion save the planet?
Fusion made it into mainstream news with this article in the Financial Times, which provides a clear overview of the technology, its potential benefits, and the current state of development globally.
EUROfusion - We are EUROfusion
A new EUROfusion video offers a brief introduction to the consortium and a look at the people driving Europe’s fusion research.
Research
Christian Oltra and colleagues - Public acceptance of fusion energy in Europe
A Europe-wide survey of over 19,000 people, conducted under the Socio Economic Studies Project funded by EUROfusion, found that respondents were generally positive about fusion. However, since many people remained neutral or undecided, the authors suggest that transparent communication will be key to building support as the technology develops.
Upcoming Events
ITER Open Doors Day - 29 November 2025
The ITER Organization and the European agency for ITER, Fusion for Energy, will be hosting free tours of the ITER construction site for the general public on Saturday 29 November 2025 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (local time). Sign up will open approximately one month before the event, see here for more details.
An announcement, event, or anything else you would like to see in the next Fusion Footprint? Get in touch at hello@openfusioncollective.org