Research Library

In 1969, nearly 50% of young people walked or biked to school, now that figure has dropped to just over 10%. This alarming decline in physical activity impacts children’s physical health, social health, well-being, and autonomy — presenting an urgent need to increase their physical activity by enhancing active transportation safety for children. This brief from the Child Health Policy Program provides key insights and policy recommendations.

Nearshoring is gaining global economic significance, with Mexico poised to capitalize on this trend due to its proximity to the U.S., skilled work force, and other competitive factors. A brief commissioned by the Center for the U.S. and Mexico outlines these advantages and discusses the infrastructural challenges that Mexico must overcome to unlock its nearshoring potential.

Nearshoring offers Mexico a major economic opportunity; however, current policy hindering power expansion, energy transition, and private investment forestalls this prospect. A report by the Center for the U.S. and Mexico on their collaborative workshop series with Tecnológico de Monterrey dissects the power sector’s critical role in nearshoring efforts and offers policy recommendations for a way forward.

Organizations across the energy ecosystem are grappling to incorporate sustainability into their long-term planning and strategic visions. The Center for Energy Studies’ new sustainability initiative focuses on ways to face these challenges. This new report examines the initiative’s five objectives and provides key takeaways to develop viable sustainability strategies.

Each year, millions of people migrate within and beyond their own countries because of rising temperatures and weather-related disasters. This new policy brief on climate-induced displacement from the Edward P. Djerejian Center for the Middle East explains the term “climate mobility,” distinguishes between voluntary and forced migration, and explores the challenges and opportunities presented by this reality of our times.

In 2026, the USMCA will undergo an open-ended review that could result in anything from minor changes to significant renegotiations. Nonresident fellow Simon Lester discusses this unprecedented process and argues that the U.S. and Mexico must follow Canada’s lead in starting preparations.

Despite a cap on Houston’s property tax collections, these taxes have outpaced population growth and inflation, writes fellow John W. Diamond. This issue brief examines the rise in property tax revenues and proposes strategies for maintaining a sustainable city budget.

Rapid urbanization and expansion of cities in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has created new opportunities — along with environmental risks, lack of financial and natural resources, and social disparity. In a new issue brief, visiting research scholar Osamah Alsayegh explores how developing smart sustainable cities can bring social and economic benefits to the growing urban population.

Hoping to expand trade relations post-Brexit, the U.K. is forming nonbinding memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with individual U.S. states. Fellow David A. Gantz’s report navigates the complex political terrain and economic promises of these MOUs with a focus on the U.K.’s agreements with Texas and Washington.

Recent federal research security initiatives have put the U.S. at risk of losing its lead in science and technology, write senior fellow Neal F. Lane, Steven Pei, and Jeremy Wu. They lay out a path toward clear, fair policy that safeguards America’s security and competitiveness while fostering a welcoming research environment for foreign talent.