摘要：At this early point in the 21st century a major concern that we face is the future possible
effects of people-induced global warming. The predicted effects are severe, but argued by
some to be avoidable if we act now. Here we consider the dimensions of another disaster:
one for which not only the causes, but also their horrific consequences, are current
worldwide. The implicit question is 'why are we more worried about future disasters than
those already occurring?' The worldmapper collection of cartograms (where a map is used
like a pie-chart to present data) is used here to illustrate the extent of international
inequalities in health and living conditions, discussed in relation to other aspects of human
lives. Though the shape that we can see the world is in is shocking, we can also envisage a
positive future. We compare these current global times to more local past times
experienced during the ravaging inequalities of Victorian Britain. We use Britain simply as
an example. We end by suggesting a further step the current British Prime Minister
could make in his thinking. Doing this we can see the potential for environmental
reconstruction, which would result (as it did before) in considerable reductions in infant
mortality. Our common future is not already mapped out; it is still to be won.
