Thispaperexaminestheconnectionsamongsustain-ability,governanceandGDP,usingthedatafrom123countries.SustainabilityisfoundtoberelatedwithGDPintwocontradic-toryways.Ontheonehand,growthinGDPstrengthensanation’sabilitytomaintainfavorableenvironmentalconditionsintothefuture.Ontheotherhand,GDPgrowthisbuiltonmoreconsump-tionofnaturalresources,andthereforegeneratesalarger“foot-print”ontheEarth.Governanceplaysakeyroleinsustainabledevelopment.However,itisnothelpingtoreduceourfootprintontheEarth.Infact,goodgovernanceislinkedtoalargerfootprint.Thisreflectsourmaterialistvalueandhumanimpulse.Whenasocietyprefersthecomfortandwell-beingofhumanbeingstothewelfareofitsenvironment,democraticgovernancemightbeusedasaneffectivetoolagainstnature.
