Its easy to see why such a pledge is appealing though.
Nuclear fusion is the process that powers stars like our sun.
Unlike current nuclear power plants which split atoms in a process called fission nuclear fusion binds atomic nuclei together.
This releases much more energy than fission and produces no high-level nuclear waste.
A fusion reactor would also produce zero carbon emissions and wouldnt launch the risk of a nuclear meltdown.
To understand why, we need only look at the current state of fusion research.
This plasma has to beover 100,000,000Cin order for the hydrogen nuclei to fuse and generate energy.
But ITER isnt a power station, its an experiment.
But ITER isnt likely to reach this goal until 2035.
TheEU fusion roadmapassumes DEMO comes some time afterwards, likely around 2050 or later.
The Tory promise of 2040 is extremely optimistic.
A DEMO power plant needs to solve several problems which ITER wont address.
One of the biggest challenges is that a fusion reactor has to generate some of its own fuel.
None of this sits well with the 2040 date the Conservatives have promised.
Net-zero by 2050assumes that emissions have been constantly decreasingfrom now until 2050.
The Conservatives scrapped subsidies for domestic solar panel installation in April 2019.
Ewelina Wachala/Shutterstock
As with any research, nuclear fusion might not work.
Despite the best efforts of researchers, its still possible that theres an unforeseen roadblock.
But the climate wont wait for us if we trip up.
Any convincing climate policy requires huge investments across many sectors, from domestic heating to road transport to agriculture.
Even a complete decarbonization of the electricity grid is only one part of the solution.
The idea of a single panacea is simplistic fantasy.
So why fund fusion?
The likely role for fusion would be as an energy source in a post-carbon society.
The government is currentlyonly on track to meet one of them.
Climate policy should prioritize deploying proven technologies immediately, without relying on speculative solutions.
Stopping climate change is too important to leave to the last minute.
