Repository of problems worth solving
World Solve is a public institutional repository for identifying real unresolved problems across science, society, health, governance, economics, and local systems. Each entry is intended to be citable, inspectable, and actionable.
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4094Total
4094Open
0Solved
9Humans
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
When an algorithm denies someone benefits or flags them as a risk, it's often unclear who is responsible for reviewing or correcting that decision. This accountability gap grows as governments rely more heavily on automated systems.
technology-computing
global-unspecified
often
accountability
government
decisions
like
welfare
eligibility
policing
lacks
clear
society-governance
systems
intergenerational
public
whether
philosophy-ethics
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Surveillance capabilities have expanded rapidly, but the oversight meant to prevent abuse often lags behind, staffed by bodies with limited authority or access. This leaves citizens with little real assurance surveillance powers aren't being misused.
society-governance
global-unspecified
surveillance
oversight
bodies
real
countries
lack
independent
power
review
government
without
mass
whether
philosophy-ethics
technology-computing
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
During emergencies, confusion over which agency is responsible for what can delay critical decisions when speed matters most. Clearer, pre-agreed emergency governance structures remain inconsistently established across different regions.
society-governance
global-unspecified
government
responses
disasters
frequently
slowed
unclear
lines
authority
between
agencies
whether
philosophy-ethics
governance
health-biology
public
african
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
This revolving door between industry and regulators can create conflicts of interest, even when no explicit wrongdoing occurs, simply through shared professional relationships and mindset. Building truly independent regulatory bodies remains difficult in practice.
society-governance
global-unspecified
regulatory
agencies
some
sectors
often
staffed
former
employees
industries
meant
whether
philosophy-ethics
way
resolved
determine
countries
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Talented people are sometimes drawn toward higher-paying private sector jobs instead of public service, leaving government roles filled by less experienced staff. This talent gap quietly undermines the quality of policy and services citizens receive.
society-governance
global-unspecified
public
sector
wages
countries
too
low
attract
skilled
workers
needed
services
governance
whether
philosophy-ethics
social-civic-problems
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Citizens sometimes wait weeks for paperwork that should take minutes, because the underlying government systems processing it were built decades ago and never modernized. This directly affects public trust in whether government can function at all.
society-governance
global-unspecified
government
systems
public
countries
outdated
basic
services
slow
error-prone
citizens
whether
philosophy-ethics
technology-computing
institutions
across
trust
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Positions that should be filled based on skill and merit are sometimes given out as political favors instead, weakening the quality of public administration over time. Breaking this pattern requires reforms that many governments resist making.
society-governance
global-unspecified
governments
political
over
civil
service
hiring
rewards
loyalty
genuine
competence
public
philosophy-ethics
whether
real
time
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Multiple departments sometimes handle similar issues with little coordination, leading to duplicated efforts, conflicting rules, and citizens unsure which agency to even contact. Streamlining this bureaucracy remains a persistent governance challenge.
society-governance
global-unspecified
government
agencies
countries
operate
overlapping
responsibilities
create
confusion
waste
multiple
philosophy-ethics
whether
haven
public
african
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Amendment processes designed to prevent hasty changes can also freeze in place rules that no longer reflect modern realities, with no practical way to update them. Finding the right balance between stability and adaptability remains unresolved.
society-governance
global-unspecified
constitutional
amendments
some
countries
made
difficult
clearly
outdated
laws
simply
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
way
determine
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
As populations shift toward cities, rural areas can be left with proportionally less political power even though they still depend heavily on government services like roads and healthcare access. Balancing this representation gap remains an unresolved tension in many democracies.
society-governance
global-unspecified
rural
less
political
representation
regions
countries
have
far
relative
needs
whether
philosophy-ethics
access
determine
way
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Zoning, housing, and infrastructure decisions are sometimes controlled by higher levels of government that move far slower than the pace of local growth. This mismatch leaves cities struggling to manage problems they can see coming but can't legally address.
society-governance
global-unspecified
manage
growth
city
governments
fast-growing
regions
often
lack
legal
authority
african
cities
urban
climate-environment
whether
infrastructure
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
In many federal systems, disputes over which level of government has final say on issues like healthcare or environmental regulation can delay action for years. This overlapping authority problem shows up in democracies of all sizes.
society-governance
global-unspecified
federal
over
authority
regional
governments
frequently
clash
ways
stall
important
philosophy-ethics
whether
resolved
systems
determine
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Even where indigenous communities have lived on land for centuries, national laws sometimes fail to formally recognize their ownership or governance rights over it. This leaves them vulnerable to displacement by governments or corporations.
society-governance
global-unspecified
indigenous
communities
land
rights
national
governance
often
lack
formal
legal
systems
economics-resources
philosophy-ethics
climate-environment
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Some contested borders have remained unresolved for decades, occasionally flaring into conflict, without any agreed process forcing a final decision. This leaves both governance and everyday life uncertain for people living near these borders.
society-governance
global-unspecified
any
process
border
disputes
between
neighboring
countries
persist
generations
binding
philosophy-ethics
whether
resolved
determine
don
have
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
People without citizenship often can't access healthcare, education, legal employment, or travel documents, trapping them in a kind of legal limbo. Resolving statelessness requires cooperation between countries that often have little incentive to act.
social-civic-problems
global-unspecified
statelessness
people
leaves
millions
any
country
willing
legally
recognize
citizens
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
resolved
legal
have
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
The same person fleeing the same crisis might face a fast, fair asylum process in one country and years of limbo in another, based purely on geography. A more consistent international standard remains unbuilt.
society-governance
global-unspecified
asylum
face
country
refugees
seekers
wildly
inconsistent
legal
processes
depending
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
determine
have
don
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Voters often know little about how a party chooses its candidates or policies internally, even though those internal decisions shape who ends up on the ballot. More transparency here could improve accountability before elections even happen.
society-governance
global-unspecified
internal
transparency
decisions
political
parties
some
democracies
operate
almost
made
whether
philosophy-ethics
evidence
haven
resolved
know
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Once elected, officials often make major decisions with limited mechanisms for ongoing public feedback until the next vote, sometimes years away. Tools for continuous citizen input remain underdeveloped almost everywhere.
society-governance
global-unspecified
input
decisions
citizens
democracies
have
little
formal
made
between
election
whether
philosophy-ethics
evidence
resolved
public
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
When election results are close or contested, some countries have no clear, agreed procedure for resolving the dispute short of prolonged conflict or unrest. This leaves democratic transitions vulnerable at exactly their most sensitive moment.
society-governance
global-unspecified
countries
clear
election
lack
legal
process
peacefully
transferring
power
disputed
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
resolved
have
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
False claims about candidates or voting processes can spread across social media faster than officials can issue corrections, especially close to election day. This growing speed gap threatens the integrity of public understanding during critical voting periods.
society-governance
global-unspecified
during
election
officials
disinformation
campaigns
elections
outpacing
ability
respond
voting
whether
philosophy-ethics
fiscal
austerity
technology-computing
haven
