Turks and Caicos Islands

6.1.4. Climate Change Education and Awareness
The previous section on communication and networking relates directly to the sharing of information to
assist decision making and planning. However, without education and awareness raising on climate change
and the likely impacts of climate change on specific sectors the information shared will be meaningless. The
research in a number of sectors highlighted specific areas that need additional efforts in education and
awareness:
Disaster risk reduction and emergency preparedness at the household level;
Water conservation, rain water harvesting and other collection techniques for households, as well
as water treatment;
The importance of energy and the role of emissions in climate change, specifically knowledge about
energy, its generation, and the economic and environmental importance of energy;
Climate-related diseases and health promotion, particularly malaria and diarrhoea and the
development of linkages with the agricultural sector to reduce malnutrition and improve food
security;
Impacts and costs of SLR to communities, but also to the public and private sectors, because of
these damages have implications for livelihoods and sustainable development.
Due to the interrelated nature of some environmental issues and natural processes collaboration between
different sectors can reinforce learning amongst the general public while also providing synergistic benefits
for resources. Creative methods for public education and awareness have been developed. For example,
the use of mobile phone technology can allow vital information to reach individuals during emergency
situations. Research at the community level revealed that not all persons have cell phones, so this
technique requires complementary messages to be transmitted through more traditional mediums, radio
and television. In addition, building awareness of the issues mentioned above can be better embraced
when the message is conveyed by a respected figure. Children and youth have been found to be good
transmitters of basic environmental information.
Education and Awareness Projects for In-bound Tourists: Films can be effective tools in influencing human
behaviour. Short videos encouraging visitors to be more conscious of their impacts on the fragile
ecosystems of the islands can be shown during in-bound international flights. The films will focus on
positive actions that visitors can take to minimize negative impacts on the environment by decreasing
energy and water consumption and wastage, and by taking necessary precautions during marine based
recreation (diving, snorkelling, boating). The films will be geared towards showing viewers how their
vacation experience will be enhanced if they use environmentally friendly practices.
Film production will engage as much local expertise as possible including actors, cameramen, technicians
etc. Other stakeholders will include the various tourism organizations. By reducing anthropogenic stresses
on the environment, ecosystem health will improve and become better able to cope with climate change.
6.2. Water Quality and Availability
The Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands is planning appropriate measures for water resources
under climate change through the National Socio-economic Development Framework (2008-2017): National
Socio-economic Development Strategy (DEPS, 2007b) and the Turks and Caicos Islands Climate Change
Green Paper (Climate Change Committee, 2011), outlined in Section 5.1.1. These measures are broadly
supported here. In addition, the following recommendations are made:
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