45. The close inter relationsh ip of poverty and environmentar deterloratlonhas becone i,ncreasingly obvious in recent years. The lack of means andalternatlve energy resources compels the populations of the least developedcountries to utilrze resources that are becorning atepleted, such as fueleood,thus producing environmental deterioriation and an aggravation of the effectsof drought and the deser t.i f icat ion process. The deterioration of theecosysten is thus the outcome of the joint impact of ctinaric conditions andhunan activity in a context of poverty and rapld populatlon grosth, r.rhich isconduclve to the over-exploitat ion of the goll, vrater resources andvegetaeion. Consegu ent1y, clinatic deterioratlon leading to drought anddesereiflcaCion may well become irreversible phenomena. 46. In sone least developed countries, rural devel-opnent policies harre noEyet always included specific neasures designed to conbat drought anddesertlfication. Bearrng in mind that fuelwood wiLl continue to be the mainsource of energy for rural households in the least developed countries in thefuture, reforestation €fforts hane been lnadeguate. As they have beenundertaken, activities, including international aid in this sphere, havefrequently been geared to the short tern and have neglected the need forIong-term neasures. Conternporary fanines are tbe conse<ruence of decades ofunfavourabre clinatic factors but arso of a r-ack of foresight, nistakes andlnaction both by the countries concerned and at the lever of internationar aid. 47. In some cases political instability has made the efforts to conbatdeserttfication and drought hazardous, sinllarly, population nover0ents havesonetines constituted an aggravating factor.L/ 40 /9e9 /Add. ro Eng Iish Page 18 48. confronEed $tith lhe seriousoess of the aituatlon, some least developed counlries are beglnning to inPlement pollcies asaociating local poPulations with measures to protect the envlronnent. G. TransfornaB lonal investnents 49. Tbe nunber of x!6jor invesbment projects under preparation or under implementation in nany least deveLoped countries has decreased considerably since the adoption of the substantlal Neu Program[e of Action (paras. 53-54) as a result of, inter alia' reaource constralnts' both internal and external ' e*per ienced oy thEEE-EouiEr i es. In the light of experience gained ln design and inplementation of ptojects, besitles the caPital needs, tbe folloring elements were considered lmportanE ! (a) A conprehensiee approach for aelecting major investment projects in accordance with national pr 1or i ciea i (b) carefully prepared pre-tneestment studles, including cost-benefit analy6ist (c) Pre-investnent activities, r'ith the necessary t€chnical assi'stance,
**Analysis**
The text discusses the interrelation between poverty, environmental degradation, and desertification, highlighting the lack of resources and the need for sustainable development in least developed countries. It also touches on the importance of international aid and cooperation in addressing these issues. Based on this, it seems that the text is primarily focused on the intersection of economic development and environmental concerns.

**Category**
Natural resources and environment, Economic development