47. Environmental protection and conservation measures are essential elements of the development process. The needs for development should be balanced with the fragility of insular ecosystems and policies should be developed which provide the maximum protection for the environment. Programmes to enhance capabilities in the area of environmental impact assessment as well as measures which foster the rehabilitation of areas damaged by past resource exploitation should be promoted and supported. 48. Given the vulnerability of many IDCs to natural disasters, special attention at the national, regional and international levels should be accorded to disaster preparedness and management and the adoption of policies A/CONF.147/5 TD/B/AC.46/4 page 17 and measures which might mitigate the impact of future disasters. These might include civil engineering and emergency communication techniques, the application of appropriate building codes and monitoring and research to improve disaster forecasting capabilities. 49. Regional co-operation has provided a useful means by which most IDCs can grapple with the constraints and opportunities in particular regions. Such co-operation should be encouraged and intensified. Among the areas in which such collaborative endeavour might be beneficial are resource exploitation; protection and policing of coastlines and exclusive economic zones; trade and export promotion; agricultural research; environmental protection; and prevention of illicit trafficking in and abuse of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances; reducing the unit cost of administration; the mobilization of technical and financial resources; and the development and sharing of human resources. Regional and international organizations, 4 including financial institutions, can play a particularly important role in these and other co-operative efforts. 50. Given the limited prospects for the development of most IDCs without assistance from the international community, efforts should be made to ensure that within resource limitations donor countries and organizations remain responsive to their needs. International support, including concessional 
**Analysis**
The text discusses the importance of environmental protection and conservation in the development process, disaster preparedness and management, and regional cooperation. It also touches on international support and resource mobilization. These themes suggest that the text is primarily focused on the intersection of economic development and environmental concerns.

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