Public acceptability of fusion energy: a scoping review of social science research

Oltra, Christian (author), Giacometti, Alessio (author), Bustreo, Chiara (author), Čok, Vanja (author), Meskens, Gaston (author), Orlando, Maria Teresa (author), Pellegrini-Masini, Giuseppe (author), Prades, Ana (author), Stankiewicz, Piotr (author), Turcanu, Catrinel (author)

Background: As nuclear fusion progresses from a scientific prospect to a plausible commercial energy source, its successful deployment will depend not only on technical and economic viability but also on public acceptability. Understanding the social landscape is therefore critical for navigating the path to commercialization. Objective: This article addresses a gap in the literature by providing the first scoping review of social science research on the public acceptability of fusion energy conducted over the last two decades (2005–2025). Methods: A systematic search of academic databases was conducted. A final corpus of 14 research articles was selected and synthesized using narrative and thematic analysis to map the field's key concepts, methodologies, and findings. Two additional post-window studies were included as emerging evidence. Results: The review finds that research is concentrated in Europe and the United States. A consistent picture emerges: public awareness of fusion is low, yet attitudes are generally positive, though tentative and weakly held. The most powerful predictors of acceptability are pre-existing attitudes towards nuclear fission, affective responses, risk-benefit perceptions, and trust in governing institutions. Conclusion: The public acceptability of fusion is shaped by a complex interplay of psychological, social, and contextual factors. Achieving a durable social license requires a paradigm shift towards strategic, multi-faceted engagement that balances inclusive dialogue with evidence-based risk communication addressing public values, emotions, and concerns.

• Language: English
• Keywords: public acceptability, nuclear fusion, survey research, qualitative research, public attitudes
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.02 - Review Article
• Organization: FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: 10 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 226, art. 115692
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-179891
• UDC: 316.654:621.039
• ISSN on article: 0920-3796
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fusengdes.2026.115692
• COBISS.SI-ID: 269759747
• Publication date in RUL: 26.02.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Fusion engineering and design
• Shortened title: Fusion eng. des.
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0920-3796
• COBISS.SI-ID: 15359237

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: sprejemanje javnosti, jedrska fuzija, anketno raziskovanje, kvalitativna raziskava, odnos javnosti

Projects

• Funder: EC - European Commission
• Project number: 101052200
• Name: Implementation of activities described in the Roadmap to Fusion during Horizon Europe through a joint programme of the members of the EUROfusion consortium
• Acronym: EUROfusion