AbstractSubstantial studies of the safety and environmental potential of fusion energy began a little over 20 years ago. The most recent review, by a Euratom study group, has evaluated the environmental and economic potential of fusion. The present paper is based primarily on this Euratom review, but also compares the Euratom results with, and draws on the extensive work done by the ESECOM, whose study was carried out in the USA over a period of several years.