An environmental ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for the environment and/or natural resources. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of the Environment, Department of the Environment, Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Natural Resources or Ministry for the Ecological Transition. Such agencies typically address environmental concerns such as the maintenance of environmental quality, nature preserves, the sustained use of natural resources, and prevention of pollution or contamination of the natural environment. Sometimes these tasks are undertaken by other agencies, such as ministries of agriculture or of transport.