Since its postulation in 1987,Sustainability has attracted increasing scholarly and policy attention and perhaps oneof the most valuable assets in the overall development paradigm. It is also a contestable term in practical contexts. This articleis a relational content analysis(RCA)which exploreslaudatory and pejorative perspectives associated with the sustainable development discourse. Using the Marxist Political Ecology Framework attention is drawn to recent global trends and changes which constitute challenges to the sustainable development agenda notably; global poverty and inequality, terrorism and insecurity, Western consumption patterns, urbanization and environmental degradation, globalization, Western lifestyle and resource efficiency,etc. Primary data was collected through self -administered survey of 20 environmental based NGOs in five high income countries conducted between May 2011 and January 2013.While secondary data derive from books, bulletins, reports, internet materials etc.The research findings suggestthat the high income countries have poorly internalized the ideals of sustainable development. The paper made some policy recommendations.