Turks and Caicos Islands

7.7. Sea Level Rise and Storm Surge Impacts on Coastal Infrastructure
and Settlements
With its development along the coast and reliance on coastal resources, the tourism sector in Turks and
Caicos is vulnerable to climate change and SLR. Tourism, a very large and important sector of the economy,
is also the key activity taking place in the island’s coastal areas. Given the importance of tourism, Turks and
Caicos will be particularly affected with annual costs as a direct result of SLR. If further action is not taken
to, the current and projected vulnerabilities of the tourism sector to SLR, including coastal inundation and
increased beach erosion, will result in significant economic losses for the country and its people.
Adaptations to minimize the vulnerabilities of the Turks and Caicos will require revisions to development
plans and major investment and policy decisions. These considerations must be based on the best available
information regarding the specific coastal infrastructure and ecosystem resources along the coast, in
addition to the resulting economic and non-market impacts. Decisions regarding where retreat policies
should be implemented versus what should be protected needs to be a priority if Turks and Caicos is to
help curb development in vulnerable areas and protect vulnerable tourism assets.
The Government of the Turks and Caicos needs to implement policies to regulate coastal development and
to identify and inventory vulnerabilities of coastal lands and infrastructure to weather and climate related
hazards. This work needs to be advanced to include in greater detail the implications of and application of
climate change adaptation measures and strategies, to ensure that coastal resources and infrastructure of
Turks and Caicos do not suffer from the consequences of SLR. Continued development and an increasing
reliance on the tourism sector will only magnify the vulnerabilities faced, placing additional assets and
people at risk, while simultaneously raising the damage estimates and the costs to protect the coastline. It
is vital to recognize the vulnerabilities from current SLR and SLR-induced erosion, as well as to anticipate
and prepare for future SLR implications. There is a need for serious, comprehensive and urgent action to be
continually taken to address the challenges of adapting to SLR in Turks and Caicos.
7.8. Comprehensive Natural Disaster Management
The Turks and Caicos Islands are vulnerable to a number of natural hazards and the most significant threat
comes from hydro-meteorological hazards. The low-lying, limestone islands are prone to flooding during
heavy rainfall events and climate change projections indicate that extreme rainfall events are likely to
become more severe in some seasons. In addition, the impacts of high winds from tropical storms have
impacted TCI with some regularity because of their location in the Atlantic Hurricane Belt. Therefore, both
the residents and tourists are vulnerable to losses and damages, especially those persons and structures in
coastal areas. Disaster management efforts are needed to reduce these risks and to build a culture of
resilience and awareness across the islands.
The Department for Disaster Management and Emergencies has adopted the International Strategy for
Disaster Reduction (ISDR), Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) in order to address a growing concern over
the vulnerability of people and settlements. The recent evaluation of progress on the HFA goals cites
financial and human resource constraints as prominent challenges, although some success has been seen in
the areas of monitoring and enforcement of physical planning regulations and the creation of a climate
change policy and strategy. Progress in public education and awareness building is an area that needs
further attention including the creation of a website for the Department of Disaster Management and
Emergencies. Despite some limitations, efforts to create policies and enforce regulations that relate to
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