Sustainable development has become the way to achieve a triple objective: insure economic ands material development in a sustainable and democratic manner. Yet, the links between participatory democracy and environmental protection are not direct nor necessarily positive. This article offers, through literature reviews and case studies, to raise a few issues and paradoxes existing in the position that participation necessarily leads to better environment protection. Examples form dams, the fight against climate change and use of public transports will be given. This raises the fundamental governance question: what are the implications for governance of the refusal or resistance on the part of population at changing sufficiently their behaviours in matters of environmental protection and the fight against climate change?