National Space Weather Response Plan

The National Space Weather Response Plan supports preparedness and response to a space weather event. It has key roles and responsibilities agencies that support a space weather response.

Space weather has always existed. But in today’s interconnected world, bursts of solar energy thrown out by the Sun can have catastrophic impacts. They can impact our electricity, satellites, and global supply chains.

A significant space weather event will disrupt critical infrastructure and essential services. It can have major impacts on  communities. The National Space Weather Response Plan helps national coordination for space weather response. It considers the complex decisions that will need to be made in a significant event. These decisions will balance short-term disruption with potentially devastating long-term impacts.

Many stakeholders and partners have contributed to the development of this Response Plan. We are also grateful to space weather monitoring agencies in the UK, the US and Australia, Their processes have guided our thinking.

This Response Plan does not change roles and responsibilities outlined in the National Civil Defence Emergency Management Plan Order 2015. For more information about NEMA’s space weather response planning, email space.weather@nema.govt.nz

National Space Weather Response Plan (.pdf 1.2mb)

The National Space Weather Response Plan has been developed quickly to ensure New Zealand has operational readiness and response arrangements in place for the solar maximum. There is more work needed to:

• better understand the specific implications for New Zealand,
• clearly define roles and responsibilities,
• develop technology and human capabilities, and
• implement these capabilities into the emergency management system.

This Response Plan is a living document. It will be updated as space weather arrangements progress.

Published: Dec 4, 2024, 3:03 PM