The International Atomic Energy Agency’s role in coordinating global fusion research — hosting the biennial Fusion Energy Conference, maintaining nuclear data, and setting safety standards for future reactors.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has coordinated international fusion research since the 1950s. Its Fusion Energy Programme promotes scientific exchange, maintains databases, and develops safety and regulatory guidance for fusion. The IAEA does not fund or operate fusion experiments directly but serves as a neutral forum for its 178 Member States.[1]
Nuclear data: The IAEA maintains the ALADDIN and AMBDAS databases of atomic and molecular data essential for fusion plasma modeling. Safety: The IAEA has published safety reports for fusion facilities, establishing that fusion’s safety characteristics differ fundamentally from fission. Coordinated Research Projects: CRPs bring together researchers from multiple countries on specific topics such as tritium inventory, plasma-wall interactions, and fusion neutronics.[2]
The IAEA has published guidance establishing that fusion reactors do not require the same regulatory framework as fission reactors, given the absence of chain reactions, meltdown risk, and long-lived high-level waste. This guidance has informed national regulatory decisions, including the U.S. NRC’s 2023 ruling to regulate fusion as byproduct material.[3]