Research Library

In this episode of Baker Briefing, experts explore the future of fuels for passenger and freight mobility. The episode is part of an initiative by the Center for Energy Studies investigating the supply chain and cost implications of transitioning fuels across the transportation sector — the economy’s circulatory system.

Experts in energy and economics explore how Texas can improve the reliability of electricity service in ERCOT, the state’s grid operator.

Since October 2023, Houthi militants have deployed missile and drone attacks in the Red Sea — creating security concerns in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes and causing major disruptions to supply chains. On this episode of Baker Briefing, experts assess the security threat in the Red Sea and the broader geopolitical ramifications of the Israel-Hamas war.

Global leaders met in Dubai this month for the 28th annual United Nations Conference of the Parties on climate change — known as COP28. In the lead-up to the conference, our expert panel broke down the key political and policy issues at play. 

Former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Earl Anthony Wayne and the Center for the U.S. and Mexico's Tony Payan explore the complex relationship between Mexico and the U.S. and what their future might hold.

Child labor laws are failing migrant children. As children from Latin America migrate to the United States in record numbers, many are ending up in dangerous jobs that violate child labor legislation. What steps are needed to ensure that vulnerable migrant children are protected from exploitation?

As greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise across the U.S., policymakers are looking to expand low carbon energy options — notably hydrogen. On this episode, Ken Medlock, director of the Center for Energy Studies, discusses the potential for Texas to become a hydrogen hub. 

OPEC+, which is led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, announced this week that it is cutting oil output by 1.2 million barrels per day starting in May. This amounts to removing roughly 1% of oil from the global market. Our experts discuss the far-reaching consequences of this move for U.S. gas prices, American energy security, and U.S.-Saudi relations. 

In March 2023, four U.S. citizens were kidnapped at gunpoint in northern Mexico; two were found dead and two others were rescued following a manhunt. The incident quickly became an international crisis and renewed U.S. focus on violence south of the border. This conversation explores the binational relationship between the U.S. and Mexico and growing tensions regarding Mexico’s approach to clamping down on violence and crime. 

As the tensions at the U.S.-Mexico the border continue, President Biden visited El Paso, Texas on January 8, 2023 to discuss his plan for clamping down on illegal immigration. We discuss the state of U.S. border policy, President Biden’s latest plans, and how the U.S. can mitigate the immigration crisis.