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Glasgow. Sharm El-Sheikh. Dubai. Baku. For the past five years, fusion energy has emerged as a discussion topic at the annual United Nations climate change conferences—the Conferences of the Parties, or COPs. This year in Belém, Brazil, COP30 is taking shape as a pivotal moment in the global effort to reduce energy consumption and turn to clean energy sources. 

On 12 November, at the pavilion of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), ITER and the IAEA co-hosted a panel on “Fusion Energy as a Clean Energy Solution.” The panel explored the current state of fusion from different angles: ITER’s ongoing leadership, the surge in private sector investment and fusion initiatives, the role of the IAEA and NGOs such as the Clean Air Task Force in shaping policy, standards, and other essential support functions, and a Nordic case study involving the governments of Sweden and Finland and centred around the private-sector firm Novatron. 

COP30 runs from 10 to 21 November. See all information here.

--On the fusion panel are (left to right): Laban Coblentz, ITER Head of Communication; Olov Hemström, Head of Strategic Projects at Business Sweden; Caroline Anderson, Director of External Affairs for the Fusion Industry Association; Mikhail Chudakov, IAEA Deputy Director General; and Rebecca Tremain, UK Director of the Clean Air Task Force.

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) and the ITER Organization have announced they will be hosting a session of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Lise Meitner program in 2026 in Cadarache.

The program, named after the Austrian-Swedish physicist who was renowned internationally for her work on nuclear fission, aims to enhance the participation of women in the nuclear sector by providing early- and mid‑career women professionals with opportunities to participate in a multi-week visiting professional program and advance their technical and soft skills. 

Around fifteen participants from IAEA member states will be welcomed for two weeks for training sessions, workshops, and conferences led by experts from ITER, the CEA, and the IAEA. They will also have the opportunity to tour state-of-the-art research facilities at both ITER and the CEA, allowing them to discover the latest technological advancements and gain a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities associated with managing large-scale projects in the nuclear energy sector.

See the press release in English and in French.

-- IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, CEA Chairman Anne-Isabelle Etienvre, and ITER Director-General Pietro Barabaschi announce the news at ITER on 13 November.

ITER Scientist Fellow Livia Casali has been named winner of the Katherine E. Weimar Award by the American Physical Society (APS) "for outstanding scientific contributions to plasma boundary physics and core-edge integration through innovative experiments and modelling supporting the operation of high-performance core plasmas, and for exemplary leadership."

A professor in the Department of Nuclear Engineering at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville (USA), Casali also contributes her knowledge and expertise as part of the ITER Scientist Fellow network and has participated in the recent updating of the ITER Research Plan as an international expert. Her work focuses on boundary physics and core-edge integrated solutions with special emphasis on the role of the radiative divertor, divertor detachment, pedestal fuelling, impurity behaviour and negative triangularity. 

The Katherine E. Weimar Award is presented every two years to a woman scientist who has made outstanding contributions to the field of plasma physics.

See the original article on the University of Tennessee Knoxville website.
See more about the Katherine E. Weimar Award here.
--Photo courtesy of the University of Tennessee Knoxville

A panel discussion on recent international developments in fusion, public/private partnerships, and the fusion supply chain is planned during the first week of the COP30 Climate Change Conference in Belém, Brazil. "Fusion Energy as a Clean Energy Solution" will take place on Wednesday 12 November (16:00-17:30) at the IAEA Pavilion PV-C111 (Blue Zone, Corridor C).

Head of ITER Communication Laban Coblentz will be joined by Mikhail Chudakov, IAEA Deputy Director General; Caroline Anderson, Director of External Affairs for the Fusion Industry Association; Rebecca Tremain, UK Director of the Clean Air Task Force; and Olov Hemström, Head of Strategic Projects at Business Sweden.

The 2025 UN Climate Change Conference runs from 10 to 21 November. See all information here.

In a statement published on 31 October 2025, the Energy and Environment Ministers of G7 nations (France, the United States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Germany) stress the need for "enhancing global energy security and meeting rising energy demands—including those driven by electrification, digitalization, and artificial intelligence."

The statement describes nuclear energy as a non-emitting baseload energy source consistent with national priorities and international commitments, citing both nuclear fission and nuclear fusion.

"We recognize that, in the future, fusion energy has the potential to make a significant contribution to meeting the growing demand for energy. Acknowledging global advancements and investment in fusion energy technology, we underscore the importance of sustained international collaboration on fusion energy with trusted partners, encouraging private investments and public engagement." The group emphasizes the sharing of best practices, the harmonization of standards, and consistent approaches to fusion regulation as critical to the deployment of fusion energy technologies.

See the full statement that was delivered after the G7 Energy and Environment Ministers’ Meeting in Toronto, Canada (30-31 October 2025).