摘要
This paper examines the connections among sustain- ability, governance and GDP, using the data from 123 countries. Sustainability is found to be related with GDP in two contradic- tory ways. On the one hand, growth in GDP strengthens a nation’s ability to maintain favorable environmental conditions into the future. On the other hand, GDP growth is built on more consump- tion of natural resources, and therefore generates a larger “foot- print” on the Earth. Governance plays a key role in sustainable development. However, it is not helping to reduce our footprint on the Earth. In fact, good governance is linked to a larger footprint. This reflects our materialist value and human impulse. When a society prefers the comfort and well-being of human beings to the welfare of its environment, democratic governance might be used as an effective tool against nature.
This paper examines the connections among sustainability, governance and GDP, using the data from 123 countries. Sustainability is found to be related with GDP in two contradictory ways. On the one hand, growth in GDP strengthens a nation＇s ability to maintain favorable environmental conditions into the future. On the other hand, GDP growth is built on more consumption of natural resources, and therefore generates a larger ＂foot-print＂ on the Earth. Governance plays a key role in sustainable development. However, it is not helping to reduce our footprint on the Earth. In fact, good governance is linked to a larger footprint. This reflects our materialist value and human impulse. When a society prefers the comfort and wellbeing of human beings to the welfare of its environment, democratic governance might be used as an effective tool against nature.
