Among all the challenges of sustainable development, two obstacles seem to be the most wide-ranging: poverty and environmental degradation. These two obstacles, in addition to their negative impact on sustainable development, have a complex relationship. It should be noted that environmental degradation is a complex issue per-se, and other influencing factors that may have an impact on it include history, geography, culture and traditions, new technologies, national programs and strategies. Therefore, the existence of a systematic thinking that encompasses all aspects of this issue seems necessary, especially since environmental degradation and global poverty, have been generally studied as separate matters.
The aim of this study is to design a model to explain the patterns of rural poverty and environmental instability. The research relies on structural equation modeling to illustrate the environmental instability and poverty in rural areas. The sample consists of heads of households in rural areas of the Charmahal Bakhtiari province. Based on Cochran formula, a sample of 383 individuals was selected through stratified random sampling. The sample members were then interviewed by questionnaires. The findings of this study indicate the severe impact of economic, social, and political factors on rural poverty. On the other hand, the instability of the rural environment is manifest in the features that include the water resources, soil quality, the resilience of pastures and plants. Furthermore, the results of this study reveals a direct correlation between rural poverty and environmental instability; The poor rural population are more prone to excessive use of natural resources and would henceforth create more environmental instability, which in turn has a negative impact on their livelihood.