68: The Politicization of Humanitarian Aid Explained
Baker Briefing
Armed conflict in Gaza, Sudan, and Syria has made millions reliant on humanitarian assistance. However, the provision of critical food, water, healthcare, and other resource assistance has been complicated by the politicization of aid, highlighted by the recent decision by the Israeli parliament to ban UNRWA, the primary aid organization for Palestinians. Experts Kelsey Norman and Salah Ben Hammou from the Baker Institute's Center for the Middle East joined Baker Briefing to discuss the parallels between the dire situations in Gaza, Sudan, and Syria and the complexities of delivering...
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67: Accelerating Clean, Affordable Electricity
Baker Briefing
Clean electricity technologies are here and they’re affordable. So why does most of our power in the U.S. still come from fossil fuels? , a civil and environmental engineering professor at Rice University and a Baker Institute Rice faculty scholar, joined Baker Briefing to explain how bureaucratic bottlenecks have led to a backlog of wind, solar, and battery storage power projects that could, if built, revolutionize the grid and greatly reduce the emissions that contribute to climate change and air pollution. Discussants Baker Institute Rice Faculty Scholar; Professor of Civil and...
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66: Christian Nationalism’s Rising Influence
Baker Briefing
What role should religion — and Christianity in particular — play in public life? This question is at the center of legislative battles brewing in statehouses across the country. It stems largely from the growing influence of Christian nationalism, an ideology based around the idea that the United States is a Christian nation and that its government should follow conservative Christian religious principles. experts and joined Baker Institute Director to explore the evolution of the Christian nationalist movement, its support among the U.S. electorate, and its...
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65: Translating Texas’ Health Care Spending Into Better Outcomes
Baker Briefing
Despite spending more on health care by percentage of GDP than its peer high-income countries, the U.S. hasn’t seen the abundance of services or improved outcomes for patients that one might expect. Instead, as medical costs increase, U.S. health outcomes continue to lag behind those of other developed nations. Texas, which spends nearly $50 billion on health care annually, performs poorly relative to other states on key metrics like maternal mortality and deaths from preventable or treatable causes. But with its recent investments in health-impacting, non-medical services, it has a...
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64: Looking Ahead to the USMCA Review
Baker Briefing
On July 1, 2026, the U.S., Mexico, and Canada will decide whether or not to continue the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which entered into force in 2020. How can policymakers prepare for the negotiations and continue to work toward a strategic, mutually beneficial North American partnership? This episode of Baker Briefing was originally published by the podcast. Former Deputy U.S. Trade Representative and , the Baker Institute’s Will Clayton Fellow in Trade and International Economics, joined host to explore major challenges on the horizon for U.S. trade...
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62: Claudia Sheinbaum and AMLO’s Looming Shadow
Baker Briefing
Late last month, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico announced a “pause” in relations with the U.S. embassy. These latest tensions between the two countries came after U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar criticized López Obrador’s proposed judicial reforms, which include electing judges by popular vote. Salazar called this measure “.” When Mexican President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, López Obrador’s protégé, takes office on Oct. 1, she will inherit the strained relationship with the U.S. and a host of other challenges facing Mexico. , director of the Baker...
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61: Energy Market Developments to Watch
Baker Briefing
How might the future of energy unfold? joined the Baker Briefing podcast to discuss the latest insights from our experts on energy markets, geopolitics, sustainability, technology, and more A glimpse into their research is compiled in “,” a collection of articles designed to illuminate paths forward for policymakers and industry leaders. View or download the report . Discussants James A. Baker, III, and Susan G. Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics and Senior Director, Center for Energy Studies, Baker Institute Director, Rice University’s Baker...
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60: American Christianity, Race, and Politics
Baker Briefing
The right to believe what you want is baked into the fabric of American society. But throughout U.S. history, there has been considerable disagreement over how much influence those beliefs should have in law and government — particularly the Christian ideals many believe the nation was founded on. Michael O. Emerson joined the podcast to explore not only the role of faith in U.S. politics, but the intersection of American Christianity and racial identity and what it means for public policy. Emerson recently co-authored the related book “The Religion of Whiteness: How Racism...
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59: Venezuela’s Energy Future Hangs in the Balance
Baker Briefing
In late July, Venezuela’s electoral authority declared President Nicolás Maduro had won reelection — a result the opposition says was blatantly manipulated. The results were also denounced by the U.S., the E.U., and a number of Latin American countries. On this episode of Baker Briefing, Francisco Monaldi discusses what the post-election chaos means for the country’s troubled oil sector and U.S. policy toward Venezuela. Discussants Fellow in Latin American Energy Policy; Director, Latin America Energy Program, Baker Institute Director, Rice University’s Baker Institute for...
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58: Lessons From Hurricane Beryl
Baker Briefing
In early July, Hurricane Beryl made landfall near Houston as a Category 1 storm. The city’s flooding infrastructure held up, but thousands were without power for over a week in the brutal summer heat. On this episode of the Baker Briefing podcast, , a faculty scholar at the Baker Institute and co-director of Rice’s , joined fellow to discuss the impacts of Beryl. Tune in for their insights into the lessons learned and risks dodged. Discussants Baker Institute Rice Faculty Scholar and Professor in the Practice of Environmental Law, Rice University Fellow in Energy and...
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Daniel S. Cohan, Ph.D.
Baker Institute Rice Faculty Scholar; Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University
The Honorable David M. Satterfield
Director, Rice University’s Baker Institute