Turks and Caicos Islands

Conduct a thorough cost-benefit analysis of coastal protection at a local level: Cost-benefit analysis of
coastal protection will be informed by the estimated cost of damage to specific infrastructure and
properties. The specific location of infrastructure is important for estimating impacts to a high level of
fidelity. Similarly, property values are highly dependent on exact location – for example in some areas the
most expensive property values may be on the coast, whereas in others they may be located on a hillside.
A detailed analysis of property prices by location is required as part of local level studies. The Government
of the Turks and Caicos Islands, local resort owners, and local building authorities, are encouraged to
collaborate with members of the research community to help develop a cost benefit analysis of coastal
protection. In addition to refining estimates of costs to rebuild infrastructure (particularly in areas with
high-density coastal development), there is an important need to investigate the response of international
tourists and the private sector to the impacts of coastal erosion to test adaptation strategies in the tourism
sector. By completing a cost-benefit analysis, decision makers will able to identify the best adaptation
options to adopt and can begin to move forward in reducing the vulnerability of settlements and
infrastructures in vulnerable areas.
Medium Term Actions
Complete a focused analysis of the vulnerability of secondary and tertiary economies to SLR and
determine the economic impacts of these damages for the tourism sector. Tourism infrastructure is
vulnerable in Turks and Caicos. With tourism contributing a large proportion to the national economy, the
capacity of the economy to absorb and recover from proportionately higher economic losses in that sector
is expected to be low. Determining the secondary and tertiary economic impacts of damages to the tourism
sector and possible adaptation strategies for Turks and Caicos should be a priority for future research. This
will enable the identification of the degree to which the economy of Turks and Caicos and its citizens are
economically and socially vulnerable to SLR. In the event that this study finds tourism to be economically
vulnerable to the impacts of SLR, then action plans could be developed to diversify the economy and
provide training and tools to help workers transition to other sectors that may be less vulnerable.
Assess the adaptive capacity of the tourism sector to SLR: Tourism is one of the most important sectors in
Turks and Caicos. Given the close proximity of the tourism infrastructure to the coast, it is highly dependent
on the attractiveness of the natural coastal environment, which has been shown to be vulnerable to SLR.
More detailed analysis of the impacts of SLR for major tourism resorts, critical beach assets and supporting
infrastructure (e.g. transportation networks) is needed to accurately assess the implications for inundation
and erosion protection. A necessary part of this evaluation is to identify the land that can be used for
tourism infrastructure and future development under a managed retreat response to SLR.
Long Term Actions
Review and develop policies and legal framework to support coordinated retreat from high-risk coastal
areas: The Government of Turks and Caicos must review existing policy and legal frameworks to assess the
responsibilities of the state and landowners for the decommissioning of coastal properties damaged by the
impacts of SLR. The government should also examine the use of adaptive development permits that will
allow development based on current understanding of SLR, but stipulate the conditions for longer-term
coastal retreat if sea level increases to a specified level. Current coastal set-back regulations need to be
reassessed in light of new SLR projections to ensure that new developments are not built in vulnerable
coastal areas.
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