The following comes from a July 21 release from the California Catholic Conference.

The Legislature has officially recessed for the summer this week, but not before moving on a key piece of environmental legislation.

On Monday, lawmakers gave a bi-partisan nod of approval to AB 398 (Garcia, D-Coachella), the extension of the state’s cap-and-trade program through the year 2030. The program aims to slash emissions by requiring entities to purchase permits to release greenhouse gases. The program’s renewal was a key priority for Governor Brown.

AB 398’s win for environmental stewardship falls in line with Laudato Si, Pope Francis’ encyclical on ecology and climate change. Ladauto Si identifies climate change and pollution as modern pressing ecological challenge, and extending cap-and-trade directly addresses those challenges to create a climate “for the common good, belonging to all and meant for all.”