Recently held in Federation Square, Melbourne, the annual Sustainable Living Festival this year featured so much! There were stalls and talks on almost every topic relating to sustainability, from bamboo bikes and organic veggie gardens to ethical consumerism and a debate about the death of environmentalism. However, one of the highlights was Oxfam’s Tides of Resilience photo exhibition.

Exploring the impacts of climate change in Bangladesh, with a particular focus on Dunbar Island, photojournalist Rodney Dekker’s photos show the beauty of the island and the strength of the community whilst reflecting the fragility and vulnerability of the island, including their dependence on fishing, an industry threatened by the rising sea temperature and changing weather patterns.

Demonstrating the concerns of people about the disastrous affects of climate change, especially towards developing nations, the exhibition was a complete success with thousands of people coming down to take a look at these powerful images and wanting to know more about Oxfam’s work on climate change.

Liyan Gao is a volunteer for Oxfam Australia