Research Library

Farm labor shortages put pressure on the United States’ food security, the livelihoods of farmers and farmworkers, and the economies and identity of rural communities. In a new Center for the U.S and Mexico research paper, Alejandro Gutiérrez-Li, assistant professor at North Carolina State University, examines the crucial role played by Mexican immigrant farmworkers in putting food on American tables.

Chile holds the world’s largest lithium reserves, yet the country’s current legal framework complicates the task of adding participants to boost lithium production. A commentary by nonresident fellow Benigna Cortés Leiss outlines the Chilean government’s new initiative to boost its lithium market share through collaborations between public and private sectors and questions its potential impacts on the lithium world market.

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.

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.

The U.S. faces worsening maternal health disparities and mortality rates due to lack of access and unaddressed systemic barriers to health. In an issue brief, fellow McClain Sampson and co-author Priscilla P. Kennedy summarize the Biden-Harris Maternal Health Blueprint to achieve maternal health equity through a comprehensive approach and also describe a model of care for Medicaid recipients that is aligned with the Blueprint.

Many tax treatments can help families and individuals cover college expenses, yet methods of paying for college may change with recent and forthcoming policies. In an issue brief, fellow Joyce Beebe reviews proposed policy reforms to federal student loan forgiveness and outlines updates to repayment plans, application processes, and accompanying tax treatments.