GEF

Unit 1  |  Introduction to Sustainability 27 The iceberg model illustrates systems thinking. The tip of the iceberg represents the visible parts of an issue or system. Systems thinking also means looking beneath the surface and understanding the hidden connections represented by the ice beneath the surface. Above the Waterline Below the Waterline The Iceberg Model ICEBERG MODEL A systems thinking method that looks below the simple facts of an issue to investi- gate causes and patterns. SUSTAINABILITY CONCEPTS “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” —The Report of the Brundtland Commission, Our Common Future, 1987.