As population growth slows, a country can better provide jobs and schooling. As productivity, savings, and investment rise, so can living standards. 2 Slowing population growth helps countries achieve economic development without despoiling the environment. Development agencies and those concerned with the environment now agree that a healthy economy can exist together with a healthy environment. Slowing Population Growth Slowing population growth aids development.
Development requires making investments today to raise living standards tomorrow.
But it is difficult to make such investments when resources are already fully used trying to keep up with the current needs of rapidly growing populations. Development itself also contributes to slower population growth by leading couples to desire fewer children. Development by itself, however, can do little to reduce fertility levels and slow population growth. Rapid population growth, unemployment, and lack of savings and investment are part of a cycle of poverty that trouble many developing countries. Population and economic growth.