HOUSTON – (Aug. 27, 2021) – Wealth inequality dropped in 2019 in the U.S. for the first time in almost three decades, but proposed tax legislation is threatening to reverse the progress, according to an expert at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
US must take responsibility for Afghan refugees, says expert
As some Afghan refugees fleeing the chaos in their home country head to the United States, Kelsey Norman, fellow for the Middle East and director of the Women’s Rights, Human Rights and Refugees Program at Rice's Baker Institute for Public Policy, argues that the U.S. is dodging responsibility by distributing most refugees across the globe, which will force them to wade through more bureaucracy.
Shale oil investments may be protected from nationalization, experts say
Shale oil’s short-cycle production protects foreign investors from the risk of expropriation — government taking private property for public use — providing an opportunity for the increasingly risk-averse global petroleum industry, according to a new report.
People, papers and presentations for Aug. 16, 2021
The Baker Institute for Public Policy’s Kelsey Norman, fellow for the Middle East and director of the Women’s Rights, Human Rights and Refugees Program, has been awarded the 2021 Emerging Scholars Policy Prize
Sustainability alone cannot fix waste management woes, says expert
Both sustainability practices and a circular economy can help maximize the world’s resources, but the ideas are not interchangeable, according to a new brief from Rice's Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Iran’s water crisis is a warning for the US
HOUSTON – (Aug. 3, 2021) – Iran’s groundwater depletion and food security crisis is an issue of global importance reflecting not only climate change, but also a pattern of policy mismanagement, according to an expert from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Science and technology research is critical infrastructure, says Baker Institute
HOUSTON – (July 30, 2021) – Investments in science and technology research are vital to the United States’ economic growth and global leadership, according to a new report from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
US should fully reopen Mexican border, vaccinate people on both sides, says expert
The United States-Mexico border should be fully reopened — with people on both sides given easier and expanded access to vaccines in the U.S. — according to a new brief from Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Baker Institute’s BCarbon recognized as top in the US
Biochar helps hold water, saves money
Biochar’s benefits for long-term storage of carbon and nitrogen on American farms are clear, but new research from Rice University shows it can help farmers save money on irrigation as well.
Women’s rights advance in Mideast, North Africa -- to a point
HOUSTON – (July 15, 2020) – Although women’s rights have undergone significant reforms in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), legislative change is not enough, according to the authors of a collection of briefs released by the Baker Institute.
Study: Early economic action in response to pandemic mitigated downturn
HOUSTON – (Oct. 28, 2020) – Decisive action taken by monetary and fiscal policymakers mitigated the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Oil demand likely to grow despite pandemic, study says
HOUSTON – (July 10, 2021) – The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected both consumer and commercial transportation, but global oil demand will probably continue to grow through 2030, according to a new study.
HOUSTON – (June 21, 2021) – A little-noticed section of an environmental bill pending in Congress could reclassify water extracted from oil and gas wells as hazardous waste, dramatically driving up drilling costs in the U.S. and destabilizing energy markets around the world, according to a new report from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
US and Mexico must work together on asylum, say Baker Institute experts
A strong, well-functioning Mexican asylum system is in the best interest of both Mexican and United States governments, but it requires increased coordination from both sides, according to the findings of a new study from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Refugee Solidarity Network.
