The GPDEA, duly registered with the CNPQ, is associated with the School of Law (FADIR) at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG) and is led by professor Vanessa Hernandez Caporlingua. It originated from a desire to unite the research work of its group members, all of whom share a common identity as law workers who interface with environmental education. Through the creation of the research group, its members sought to achieve greater productivity when working in these fields.

The group is composed of teachers and students from various disciplines, indicating and expanding the impact of the group in the academic and non-academic community.

The research lines of the group include law and environmental education; environmental awareness of the juridical operator; and risk and resilience among poor households involved in legal conflict.

The group has received recognition for several research projects, including Environmental awareness of the juridical operator and environmental education transformation, directed by Dr. Vanessa Hernandez Caporlingua. This project began in 2010 and includes students in the post-graduate environmental education program at FURG and graduate students studying law, psychology and business administration at FURG. A second project, The Taim Ecological Station,a case study analyzing the effectiveness of environmental law, was initiated in April 2011 by law student Thaisa Lopes under the guidance of Dr. Vanessa Hernandez Caporlingua. The project was granted a scientific initiative scholarship by the Institutional Student Development Program (PDE/FURG).

The research group has weekly meetings and uses the Moodle platform (http://www.moodle.sead.furg.br/) and a blog (http://vanessadpc.blogspot.com.br/) to communicate virtually. The group has participated in many events and has presented its projects in many cities. Moreover, it is currently working on a book that addresses the themes of environmental law, environmental education and human rights.