MIDWEST POLICY INSTITUTE
An Economic Policy Think Tank Connecting the Heartland and the World.
Energy and Resources
Much of contemporary energy policy is focused on aligning nations' energy future with concerns around climate change. The attempt to coordinate national energy policy with climate policy is a dramatic force on decision-making that must be factored in contemporaneously with myriad other components that comprise the reality of energy. Policy research on energy policy traditionally focuses on geopolitical questions, which are indeed crucial to understand this topic. The Midwest Policy Institute is also interested in understanding institutional path dependence in energy sectors and the human element of energy and resource policy.
Areas of Research:
Resources and Development
Much has been written about the important connection between a country's possession of resources and its development trajectory. We believe this topic is of particular interest at a micro level and that by studying communities and their use of resources, something important can be learned about the effective deployment of resources.
Aligning Energy and Climate Policy
Technology is rapidly changing possibilities in the energy sector. This means that it is often an attractive option to bring together energy and climate policy. Indeed, as the import of climate change becomes more concrete, and ecological needs grow more extreme, this kind of research is paramount.
Energy and Foreign Policy
Governments face different energy landscapes. Most countries are not energy self-sufficient and must interact with other governments to meet their energy needs. This requires a full range of diplomatic engagements and thus foreign policy is a crucial aspect of a nation's energy policy.
