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Can Nuclear Fusion Save the World from Climate Collapse?
Nuclear fusion is considered the holy grail of energy production
Imagine an energy source so powerful that it’s unlimited, produces no carbon emissions and hardly any waste. That’s the promise of nuclear fusion, an energy wonderfuel that may have the potential to solve the climate crisis and save the world from a devastating future.
A nuclear fusion reactor would work like an artificial sun that merges atomic nuclei, generating massive amounts of energy that can be turned into electricity. Should it work as the theory suggests, one kilogram of fusion fuel could yield the energy equivalent of ten million kilograms of fossil fuel, without the carbon emissions. Fusion would also work in any weather, unlike solar and wind, and won’t create any hazardous waste that comes with the fission process behind nuclear power plants.
The need for fusion is more pressing than ever because total carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) hit 41.6 billion tonnes in 2024, up from 40.6 billion tonnes the year before. The fact emissions continue rising is both alarming and confusing when so many governments and companies appear to be taking substantial steps to decarbonise and reduce emissions.
