Designing Proliferation-Resistant Fusion Reactors – Ideas for developing an Effective and Just Nuclear Order for the Twenty-First Century

Fusion technology has the potential to make a significant contribution to energy generation from the middle of the 21st century onwards. However, the prospect of commercial fusion reactors also brings new regulatory questions in regards to the environment and security to the agenda. There remains a lack of research on this issue, especially in relation to the challenges posed by commercial nuclear fusion.

Risks, opportunities and perspectives for security politics

The project “Designing proliferation-resistant fusion reactors” aims to identify these security risks and, whenever possible, quantify the potential for fusion reactors to produce weapons-grade material.
A series of regulatory questions were the primary focus of this project: Which opportunities exist for new approaches to governance (anticipatory governance/safeguards by design) through participation by the US, international organizations (the IAEA) and non-state actors (particularly companies, epistemic communities and civil society groups)? Is there more flexibility in the early phases of technological development than there would be in ex-post responses to regulatory problems?
The broader outlook put forth by this project, carried out from 2008-2011, was to develop perspectives for effective and just nuclear governance in the 21st century.