Nature:
The European Commission has proposed that funding for ITER, the
international effort to build a fusion test reactor, and for
the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES)
Earth-observation project be separated from the next general
budget for 2014–20. The two projects would be supported
via new intergovernmental organizations funded by European
Union member states, with each member state required to
contribute according to its gross national income. The
commission argued that the arrangement would reduce the main EU
budget's exposure to the large cost overruns common with large
science projects. While ITER has experienced major
overruns—going from a projected €5 billion budget
in 2006 to €15 billion, GMES has stayed within its
budget. The proposal represents potential risk for both
projects, but for GMES particularly, as it is due to begin
launching its satellites in 2013. Without guaranteed funding
and governance, that won't be possible.
