Created by Resolution nº 006, of 1989, of the National Council for the Environment (CONAMA), was established with the aim of maintaining a record of CSOs whose main purpose is the defense of the environment in a database.

CONAMA uses registration as a prerequisite for the election of representatives of the Civil society of the five geographic regions that occupy the position of advisor representing Civil Environmental Entities in the group's plenary. A Resolution nº 292, of 2002, of CONAMA establishes the procedures for registering environmental entities.