Answer
Countries want a higher GDP to enjoy a higher standard of living but high GDP does not always mean a positive event. Natural disasters raise GDP with cleanup spending and repairs but this would decline standard of living as it causes a supply shock to people who may have limited resources like food. Another thing is pollution. Trying to reduce pollution discourages companies from production to meet pollution regulations and while stopping pollution laws can raise GDP this is an externality because it would cause more disease and sickness.
Work Step by Step
To answer this question you must understand how GDP is found ( consumption spending, investment spending, government spending, and net exports) and how increases in one of these could be a detriment to society as externalities arise like pollution.
