This chapter characterizes the green transition triggered by the European Green Deal as an ecological transition, that is, as a process oriented towards biodiversity protection, ecosystem restoration and ecological sustainability. It opens by putting the ecological transition into perspective and outlining the EU regulatory framework through which it has unfolded. It then discusses the implications on the functions, organization and activities of Italian public administrations. While the ecological transition is the result of an EU regulatory development which has a relatively clear design and rationale, the Italian administrative system struggles to deal with its implementation.