Research Library

COP28 brought together world leaders, climate experts, and other key stakeholders to discuss progress on global climate goals. As a member of the Turkish delegation, Rice faculty scholar Gökçe Günel offers her take on the summit’s outcomes.

What's behind the rise of U.S. manufacturers “nearshoring” to Mexico? In this report, fellow David A. Gantz explores the historical drivers fueling this trend and the reasons why Mexico may struggle to attract foreign investment in the near future.

Electricity demand in Texas is evolving, posing major challenges for grid reliability. Center for Energy Studies experts lay out ways ERCOT, Texas’ grid operator, can enhance reliability and resource adequacy.

The 2024 Mexico Country Outlook report analyzes key policy issues ahead of Mexico’s June 2024 elections, from foreign investment and regulatory challenges to migration and public security.

How can lawmakers fix America’s crumbling child care system? Fellow Joyce Beebe reviews four popular policy proposals to expand child care and examines their potential benefits and pitfalls.

Legalizing recreational marijuana was intended to remedy the racially disparate effects of cannabis prohibition. But new research from our experts finds persistent racial disparities in the legal system’s practice of mandating treatment for cannabis use.

Almost all of the progress the U.S. has made toward its Paris Agreement target for 2025 has come from falling CO2 emissions from energy use. But greater declines in other greenhouse gas emissions are needed to reach our goal, writes fellow Mark Finley.

Fellow Gabriel Collins and Andrew S. Erickson explore the possibility of China taking control of Taiwan’s world-leading chip industry without ever invading — and lay out a strategy to prevent such a conquest by Beijing.

This report explains Europe's failure to secure long-term liquefied natural gas supplies, the likely implications, and provides ideas for better ensuring energy security moving forward.

As drought persists along the lower Colorado River, can the U.S. and Mexico cooperate to develop new water sources? Stephen Mumme and Aidan Lyde explore options ranging from wastewater reclamation to seawater desalination.