High levels of consumption in the developed world may cause damage to the environment than population growth in developing nations. Rapidly growing populations affect how humans interact with the environment and use its resources. Although death rates have fallen in much of the world, sheer numbers are still growing rapidly because so many of the world's people are young and bearing children. This is called population momentum.
Family planning is an important element in efforts to stabilize population growth.
Where women have education and access to job opportunities, they tend to have fewer and healthier children. Rapid population growth is correlated with high unemployment and poverty. Our choices and actions today will have a profound effect on the future of people 50 years from now and the sustainability of Planet Earth.