Anthropogenic climate change will disproportionately affect equatorial regions and closely adjacent areas, referred to here as the Fateful Ellipse. The vulnerability of these regions is exacerbated by a lack of capital for adaptive measures against the impacts of climate change. The increasing transference of capital from governmental control to private hands, and the increasing concentration of such capital into the hands of fewer individuals raises further concerns about capacity to mitigate or adapt to climate change. In addition, conflicts arise regarding the choice of climate change solutions. Ironically, the people of the Fateful Ellipse, who are most vulnerable to climate change, produce the lowest amount of carbon per capita. As a result of the colonial enterprise, including slavery, they also paid a heavy price toward the economic ascendency of Europe and North America and the Industrial Revolution that fueled the rise in greenhouse gas production. The discipline of geography itself owes some measure of its development and ascendency to colonialism and the exploitation of the Fateful Ellipse. As geographers we have the capacity, and a special responsibility, to contribute to the development of climate change solutions and global environmental justice.

人为的气候变化将严重影响赤道地区和紧邻的地区，在此称为“命运椭圆”。这些地区的脆弱性因缺乏应对气候变化影响的适应性措施而缺乏资金而加剧。资本从政府控制权转移到私人手中的资金越来越多，而这些资金越来越集中在较少的个人手中，这进一步引起人们对缓解或适应气候变化能力的担忧。此外，在选择气候变化解决方案方面还存在冲突。具有讽刺意味的是，命运最易受气候变化影响的椭圆形人的人均碳排放量最低。由于包括奴隶制在内的殖民统治，他们还为欧洲和北美的经济优势和工业革命付出了沉重的代价，后者推动了温室气体产量的增长。地理学科本身在某种程度上应归因于它的发展和对殖民主义和对命运椭圆的利用的提升。作为地理学家，我们有能力并负有特殊责任，为气候变化解决方案和全球环境正义的发展做出贡献。