This does feel like a kind of retro quasi-Malthusian concern these days, though. In practice, populations tend to stabilize as the economy develops, and the earth is now expected to hit peak population within decades.
But I mean, the point is, we're _not_ shifting it forward. It is moving backwards (and smaller; most estimates are now for a peak of about 10bn, vs far more extravagant estimates in the past), closer to the present than would generally have been expected a few decades ago. In the 50s, many people didn't think there'd be a natural peak population at all; they were going with full Malthusianism.
In practice, population growth tends to slow down and eventually reverse more or less naturally in advanced industrial economies.
Well, there's a phrase you don't see much.
This does feel like a kind of retro quasi-Malthusian concern these days, though. In practice, populations tend to stabilize as the economy develops, and the earth is now expected to hit peak population within decades.