Baker Briefing

54: Where Will Claudia Sheinbaum Lead Mexico?

On June 2, Claudia Sheinbaum was elected to Mexico’s highest office. A climate scientist and former mayor of Mexico City, Sheinbaum will now become the first woman president in the country’s history.  Her victory is part of a resounding win for the ruling Morena party and its allies, which gained a congressional majority in the elections. Now, the Mexican left may be able to reshape the country’s policy landscape through constitutional reform — something Sheinbaum’s mentor, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, tried unsuccessfully to do during his term.  This episode features a conversation between Tony Payan, director of the Baker Institute Center for the U.S. and Mexico, and Lorena Becerra, a political scientist and pollster who previously worked at the newspaper Reforma. Tune in as they explore voter turnout on June 2 and the implications of Morena’s landslide victory for Mexican policy. This conversation was recorded on June 4, 2024. For more on issues central to U.S.-Mexico relations, check out the “Judy Ley Allen México Centered” podcast from the Center for the U.S. and Mexico. Discussants Lorena Becerra, Ph.D. Political Analyst; CEO, Lorena Becerra Encuestas Tony Payan, Ph.D.  Françoise and Edward Djerejian Fellow for Mexico Studies and Director, Center for the U.S. and Mexico, Baker Institute

53: The Forces Shaping the Global LNG Market

Experts examine the evolving global liquefied natural gas (LNG) market, including the implications of the recent U.S. halt in the review of LNG export applications, how conflicts in Europe and the Middle East have disrupted the market, and the challenges that a “re-Balkanization” of the natural gas industry would pose in the face of global shocks. For more insights, read a related article from the Baker Institute’s Gabriel Collins and Steven Miles in Foreign Policy. This conversation was recorded on May 22, 2024. Discussants Gabriel Collins Baker Botts Fellow in Energy & Environmental Regulatory Affairs, Baker Institute Steven R. Miles Fellow in Global Natural Gas, Baker Institute Edward M. Emmett Fellow in Energy and Transportation Policy, Baker Institute

52: What China’s Video Game Regulations Mean for the Rest of Us

In December 2023, China released a set of proposed regulations on its video gaming industry. The regulations would have targeted many of the most common monetization features in video games — like daily log-in rewards, bonuses for first-time users of in-game currencies, and “loot boxes,” a kind of randomized prize draw that some liken to legalized gambling. But then something happened: The release of the proposals caused Chinese gaming stocks to plunge, and the government quickly walked the regulations back. Here we unpack what this incident tells us about the regulatory power of the Chinese government, the influence of China’s tech industry, and even government anxieties about online life. For more, read a related commentary by the Baker Institute’s Brandon Zheng. This conversation was recorded on May 21, 2024. Discussants Steven W. Lewis, Ph.D. C.V. Starr Transnational China Fellow, Baker Institute Brandon Zheng Research Associate, China Studies Program, Baker Institute The Honorable David M. Satterfield  Director, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy; Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy  

51: What President Raisi’s Death Means for Iran

On May 19, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi died suddenly in a helicopter accident. Experts share what policy direction they expect Iran to take in the aftermath of Raisi’s death and what reactions they anticipate from the Gulf. Discussants Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar Fellow for the Middle East, Baker Institute Kristian Coates Ulrichsen Fellow for the Middle East and Co-Director, Middle East Energy Roundtable, Baker Institute The Honorable David M. Satterfield Director, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy; Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy This conversation was recorded on May 21, 2024.

50: The Future of Fuels

In this episode of Baker Briefing, experts explore the future of fuels for passenger and freight mobility. The episode is part of an initiative by the Center for Energy Studies investigating the supply chain and cost implications of transitioning fuels across the transportation sector — the economy’s circulatory system. A transcript of the episode is available here. This text was AI-generated and has not been through editorial review.  Discussants Edward M. Emmett Fellow in Energy and Transportation Policy, Baker Institute Kenneth B. Medlock III James A. Baker, III, and Susan G. Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics and Senior Director, Center for Energy Studies, Baker Institute This conversation was recorded on May 7, 2024.

49: Child Health and Urban Design

American children today are less active than ever before, raising important concerns about physical health, mental health, well-being, and autonomy. This episode explores the relationship between our urban environments, childhood safety, and well-being. A transcript of the episode is available here. This text was AI-generated and has not been through editorial review.  Discussants Zoabe Hafeez, M.D. Nonresident Fellow, Baker Institute; Associate Professor of Pediatrics, UTHealth Houston Sandra McKay, M.D. Huffington Fellow in Child Health Policy, Baker Institute Edward M. Emmett Fellow in Energy and Transportation Policy, Baker Institute This conversation was recorded on April 11, 2024.

48: How Texas Is Testing the Line Between Church and State in Schools

Legislative attempts to undermine church-state separation in Texas reached a crescendo in 2023, according to a recent report from nonresident scholar David Brockman. This episode features a conversation between Brockman and fellow Ed Emmett on three high-profile bills introduced by Texas lawmakers in 2023 and their connection to a broader movement that seeks to privilege Christianity in public schools. A transcript of the episode is available here. This text was AI-generated and has not been through editorial review.  Discussants David Brockman, Ph.D. Nonresident Fellow Ed Emmett Fellow in Energy and Transportation Policy This conversation was recorded on April 18, 2024.

47: John Whitmire’s Plan for Houston

Houston Mayor John Whitmire just marked his first 100 days in office. In that time he’s taken steps intended to improve the city's finances, public safety, infrastructure, mobility options, and delivery of services. This special episode features an armchair conversation between Whitmire and Ed Emmett, a Baker Institute fellow and former Harris County judge, on the past and future of Houston. The event was held on April 3 in front of a live audience at Rice University. A transcript of the episode is available here. This text was AI-generated and has not been through editorial review.  Discussants John Whitmire 63rd Mayor of the City of Houston Ed Emmett Fellow in Energy and Transportation Policy, Baker Institute This conversation was recorded on April 3, 2024. Watch the video recording here.

46: Adapting the Texas Power Grid to Meet Evolving Energy Needs

Since Winter Storm Uri knocked out power throughout Texas in February 2021, causing billions of dollars in damage and hundreds of deaths, preparing the Texas grid for extreme weather has been a top priority for the state. But the power grid — serviced by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) — faces other pressures, too. Population growth, economic expansion, increased adoption of electric vehicles, and cryptocurrency mining have all placed increased demands on the state’s energy infrastructure. In this episode, experts in energy and economics explore how Texas can adapt the grid to meet the its evolving energy needs. A transcript of the episode is available here. This text was AI-generated and has not been through editorial review. Discussants Peter R. Hartley, Ph.D. Baker Institute Rice Faculty Scholar and George A. Peterkin Professor of Economics, Rice University Kenneth B. Medlock III, Ph.D. James A. Baker, III, and Susan G. Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics and Senior Director, Center for Energy Studies Ed Emmett Fellow in Energy and Transportation Policy This conversation was recorded on April 1, 2024. Read our latest research on the Texas grid.

45: Will Taiwan’s Energy Policy Doom Its Push for Sovereignty?

On Jan. 13, Taiwanese voters elected William Lai, a member of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party and a separatist in the eyes of Beijing, to be their next president. Experts discuss what Lai’s victory means for the island's energy policy, cross-strait relations, and push for sovereignty. Discussants Gabriel Collins Baker Botts Fellow in Energy & Environmental Regulatory Affairs, Baker Institute Shih Yu (Elsie) Hung Research Manager, Center for Energy Studies, Baker Institute Steven W. Lewis, Ph.D. C.V. Starr Transnational China Fellow, Baker Institute The Honorable David M. Satterfield Director, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy; Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy; Former Ambassador to Lebanon and Turkey This conversation was recorded on March 25, 2024. Read our latest research on Taiwan.