[Objective] The relationship of the ecological environment and poverty was studied to provide scientific reference for the targeted poverty alleviation and sustainable development in ecologically fragile areas.[Methods] A typical ecologically fragile area, the Tibetan area in Sichuan Province, was taken as the study area. The coupling status of the ecological environment and poverty in the Sichuan Tibetan area was measured and analyzed by using a coupling degree model and coordination degree model from 2008 to 2017.[Results] ① The coupled development of the ecological environment and poverty in the Tibetan area was relatively stable at a low level from 2008 to 2017, and the coupling degree was mostly between 0.072 2 and 0.706 3. The variation trend of the coupling degree increased annually, but there were fluctuations in 2011. ② From 2008 to 2017, the ecological environment index of the Tibetan area showed an increasing trend annually, with a value between 0.009 5 and 1.000 0. The poverty index also showed an increasing trend annually, with a value between 0.006 3 and 0.995 4, but there was a fluctuation in 2011. ③ In addition to the fluctuation in 2011, the coupling coordination degree of the ecological environment and poverty in the Tibetan area increased annually from 2008 to 2017, and the value was between 0.035 9 and 0.839 4. The variation trends of coupling degrees and coordination degrees were similar from 2008 to 2017. ④ From 2008 to 2017, the coupling and coordination degree between the ecological environment and poverty of the Tibetan area had three different stages:low-level coupling development, coupling transition, and high-level coupling coordination of poverty lag.[Conclusion] In the future, ecological protection and poverty alleviation should be regarded as essential in the Tibetan area of Sichuan Province to achieve sustainable development of socio-economic and environment system in this ecologically fragile region.