Space weather : its impact on Earth and implications for business

Space weather describes disturbances that occur in near-Earth space, which can disrupt modern technologies. It is a natural hazard to which human civilisation has become vulnerable, through our use of advanced technologies. Businesses are exposed to these new risks whenever they adopt new technologies that are vulnerable to space weather. So, it is important to understand and assess these risks and weigh them against the benefits of new technologies. This brochure seeks to brief the business community on these issues – it first outlines the range of different space weather phenomena and discusses their impacts on a range of technologies. It then explores how businesses can respond to these impacts – by improving the resilience of the technologies and operating procedures used by businesses and by seeking opportunities to provide services that help other business deal with the problems caused by space weather.