Response from: John Parris (Check me out!)

A lot of work is going on towards achieving nuclear fusion, and more than one method is being explored. There cannot be a more fitting time for this work to be done, since it seems the world is about to be forced to face up to the massive challenge of climate change and all the implications this brings for future energy production and consumption. Very significant funding will be needed, at a level logically only achievable through multi-national government cooperation, which would be appropriate, since that closely matches the kind of international cooperation now growing among scientists, who certaibnly recognise the imperatives we now face. The world's energy industries and fuel suppliers are now realising the folly of clinging blindly to the use of carbon-based fuels, and since they will want a piece of the action if new technologies emerge, they too are likely to be very keen to follow any significant developments in this attempt to develop a challenging form of energy generation before climate change and other factors mean it really is too late for global civilisation as it is today, and as many nations hope it will be in the future. This is not a short term project, it cannot be done without very significant investment, and we must take all other measures possible to cover the inevitable period of delay before nuclear fusion can be expected to become commercially feasible. This is "big science", and much is at stake. Indicators are that nuclear fusion, when achieved, will have nothing like the implied safety risks of nuclear fission (the reactors we have come to know over the past half century), yet for now we must cast aside blind fear of nuclear processes and come to terms with the absolute need to continue with safely applied energy generation by this means. The time for dismissing high technologies as unnecessary or too dangerous is now proven to be past. I am sure that much more will emerge in the months ahead as Europe and the world rapidly face up to changes which can no longer be ignored.

Response from: Paul (Check me out!)

On November 21, 2006, the seven participants formally agreed to fund the project.[1] The program is anticipated to last for 30 years—10 years for construction, and 20 years of operation—and cost approximately €10 billion (US$12.1 billion), making it the third most expensive scientific megaproject project after the Manhattan Project and the International Space Station. It will be based in Cadarache, France. It is technically ready to start construction and the first plasma operation is expected in 2016.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITER)
From January-October 2007, a site of 180 hectares next to the Cadarache site will be prepared for the construction of ITER, under the supervision of the Agence ITER France. (http://www.iter.org/newsline/issues/current/ITERnewsline.htm)
I hope that this is of use. Paul Robshaw