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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4194Total
4194Open
0Solved
9Humans
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
As climate disasters become more frequent, insurance premiums in high-risk areas are rising sharply or disappearing altogether, leaving residents financially exposed. A sustainable model for insuring these regions remains unresolved.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
insurance
regions
disasters
haven
found
way
make
affordable
facing
increasing
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
resolved
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Countries rich in oil, minerals, or gas sometimes see little of that wealth reach ordinary citizens due to corruption or unfair contracts. Ensuring resource wealth translates into broad public benefit remains a persistent unsolved problem.
society-governance
global-unspecified
wealth
resource
citizens
countries
yet
ensure
natural
benefits
resource-rich
but
whether
philosophy-ethics
haven
determine
public
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Sudden spikes in the price of staple commodities like wheat or rice can trigger food crises in import-dependent countries almost overnight. A more resilient global system to buffer these shocks remains unbuilt.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
system
price
shocks
food
crises
don
have
reliable
prevent
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
way
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Housing price bubbles tend to form, burst, and disproportionately hurt lower-income buyers and renters each cycle. Preventing this pattern from repeating remains a persistent economic policy challenge.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
housing
haven
solved
prevent
boom-and-bust
cycles
markets
repeatedly
hurting
same
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
way
social-civic-problems
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Access to affordable business loans is heavily skewed toward people who already have assets or established credit, locking out many capable entrepreneurs. A fairer lending system remains an unresolved economic gap.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
business
lending
entrepreneurs
credit
yet
make
small
fair
accessible
existing
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
don
way
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Trade deals can boost overall economic growth while still leaving specific groups of workers worse off, often in the same country. A consistent, fair way to support those workers remains politically unresolved.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
fair
way
trade
don
have
compensate
people
whose
jobs
eliminated
philosophy-ethics
whether
resolved
determine
agreed
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Infrastructure projects are sometimes chosen more for political visibility than for genuine community need, leaving real problems unaddressed. Aligning spending with actual need remains a persistent governance challenge.
society-governance
global-unspecified
infrastructure
spending
actual
political
yet
ensure
public
decisions
reflect
needs
philosophy-ethics
whether
real
governance
haven
time
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Immigration policy varies enormously between countries, with no widely accepted standard for what fairness or humane treatment actually requires. This leaves migrants' treatment largely dependent on which country they happen to reach.
society-governance
global-unspecified
standard
humane
immigration
don
have
shared
counts
fair
system
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
way
agreed
health-biology
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Online spaces can accelerate radicalization by connecting isolated individuals with extremist content and communities faster than in the past. Effective, rights-respecting ways to counter this remain unresolved.
science-space
global-unspecified
extremist
online
communities
haven
found
way
prevent
ideologies
radicalizing
people
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
determine
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Aid money is sometimes available quickly after a disaster, but reaches affected people slowly due to administrative bottlenecks. Cutting this delay without sacrificing accountability remains a persistent logistical challenge.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
disaster
people
delay
yet
make
relief
funding
reach
right
excessive
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
haven
resolved
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Surveillance capabilities often grow quietly, justified by security concerns, with limited public awareness or debate about their true scope. Building lasting oversight mechanisms remains a persistent democratic challenge.
society-governance
global-unspecified
surveillance
public
oversight
don
have
reliable
way
prevent
government
programs
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Local elections often receive far less security attention than national ones, despite being just as vulnerable to disinformation campaigns. Extending stronger protections down to the local level remains incomplete.
society-governance
global-unspecified
local
elections
disinformation
haven
solved
protect
spread
foreign
domestic
actors
might
mathematics-logic
economics-resources
science-space
workers
turn
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
People with more money can typically afford far better legal defense than those without, creating uneven outcomes within the same justice system. Equalizing access to quality legal representation remains a persistent gap in many countries.
society-governance
global-unspecified
legal
access
representation
yet
ensure
equal
regardless
person
income
people
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
remains
have
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Human trafficking networks exploit gaps between countries' laws and enforcement capacity, moving victims across borders largely undetected. A stronger, coordinated international strategy remains incomplete.
society-governance
global-unspecified
strategy
human
trafficking
borders
don
have
effective
prevent
networks
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
resolved
way
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Private contractors sometimes operate in conflict zones with less oversight than official military forces, raising accountability concerns when abuses occur. International legal frameworks addressing this remain inconsistent and weak.
society-governance
global-unspecified
private
military
contractors
haven
found
consistent
way
hold
security
accountable
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
technology-computing
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Growing political division in many countries is making even routine governance decisions slower and more contentious than in the past. Rebuilding functional cooperation across political divides remains an unresolved societal challenge.
society-governance
global-unspecified
political
making
governance
stop
polarization
basic
compromise
increasingly
difficult
growing
philosophy-ethics
whether
public
haven
resolved
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
People displaced by climate disasters often don't qualify for legal refugee status under current international law, leaving them without clear protection. A modern framework addressing this gap remains unbuilt.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
don
framework
climate
refugee
have
fair
handling
refugees
fit
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
agreed
way
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Indigenous land rights are frequently overridden by governments or corporations pursuing resource extraction or development. Meaningful, enforceable control over ancestral land remains unresolved in many countries.
society-governance
global-unspecified
land
indigenous
meaningful
control
over
haven
solved
give
communities
decisions
philosophy-ethics
whether
climate-environment
mathematics-logic
economics-resources
technology-computing
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Basic knowledge of how to respond to earthquakes, floods, or fires can save lives, yet many school systems don't teach it consistently. Making this training universal remains a low-cost, high-impact gap.
social-civic-problems
global-unspecified
yet
training
make
disaster
preparedness
standard
part
education
worldwide
basic
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
haven
resolved
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Wealthy interests can influence legislation through lobbying in ways ordinary citizens simply can't match, raising questions about whose interests policy actually serves. Balancing this influence remains a persistent unsolved governance issue.
society-governance
global-unspecified
lobbying
policy
don
have
reliable
way
prevent
money
disproportionately
shaping
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
agreed
