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
Sharks reproduce much more slowly than most fish, making their populations especially vulnerable to overfishing and slow to recover even after protective measures are introduced. Enforcing sustainable limits globally remains an unresolved challenge.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
overfishing
populations
slow
reproduce
recover
don
have
scalable
way
prevent
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
resolved
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
As temperatures rise, alpine species are forced to migrate to higher elevations, but many eventually run out of mountain left to climb, risking extinction. Protecting these increasingly squeezed ecosystems remains an unresolved conservation priority.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
alpine
ecosystems
temperatures
species
yet
fully
prevent
loss
warming
push
philosophy-ethics
whether
mathematics-logic
way
have
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Many e-waste recycling operations, particularly in lower-income countries, expose workers to toxic materials with inadequate safety protections. Making this growing industry both effective and safe for workers remains an unresolved labor and environmental issue.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
workers
recycling
safe
materials
haven
solved
make
electronic
waste
facilities
whether
philosophy-ethics
economics-resources
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Excess nitrogen from agricultural fertilizer washes into rivers and eventually the ocean, fueling algae blooms that deplete oxygen and create dead zones where marine life can't survive. Reducing this runoff while maintaining crop yields remains an unresolved balancing act.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
nitrogen
runoff
fertilizer
ocean
dead
zones
don
have
effective
way
philosophy-ethics
whether
resolved
determine
agreed
prevent
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Dams provide clean energy and water management benefits but can block the migration routes that many freshwater fish species depend on to reproduce. Designing infrastructure that serves both human and ecological needs remains an unresolved engineering challenge.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
freshwater
fish
migration
routes
yet
fully
prevent
decline
populations
caused
whether
philosophy-ethics
climate-environment
way
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Aggressive logging can strip forest soil of the nutrients and structure it needs to regenerate tree cover, sometimes leading to long-term land degradation. Making logging practices consistently sustainable remains an unresolved global industry challenge.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
logging
forest
practices
haven
found
way
prevent
depletion
topsoil
caused
philosophy-ethics
whether
mathematics-logic
resolved
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Invasive plants can spread aggressively in protected parks and reserves, outcompeting native species even where conservation efforts are actively underway. Effective, affordable control methods that don't damage the broader ecosystem remain incomplete.
health-biology
global-unspecified
don
invasive
species
native
protected
have
scalable
way
prevent
plant
philosophy-ethics
determine
whether
resolved
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
As temperatures rise, mosquitoes and other disease-carrying insects are expanding into regions that were previously too cold for them to survive, introducing new health and ecological risks. Tracking and responding to this shift remains an unresolved public health and conservation challenge.
health-biology
global-unspecified
public-health
shift
disease-carrying
insects
new
regions
yet
fully
prevent
warming-driven
geographic
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
haven
climate-environment
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Many reforestation projects plant fast-growing single species rather than rebuilding complex, biodiverse forest ecosystems, which limits their true ecological value. Making these projects genuinely restorative rather than just visually green remains an unresolved challenge.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
projects
reforestation
rebuilding
biodiverse
forest
ecosystems
haven
solved
make
large-scale
philosophy-ethics
whether
climate-environment
way
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Vultures help prevent disease spread by consuming carcasses quickly, but populations have declined sharply in various regions due to poisoning and habitat loss. Protecting this often-overlooked but ecologically important species remains an unresolved conservation issue.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
have
prevent
populations
don
effective
way
decline
vulture
play
crucial
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Larger plastic debris eventually breaks down into microplastics that are ingested by marine life and can work their way up the food chain to humans. Preventing this breakdown process or removing microplastics at scale remains technically unresolved.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
microplastics
plastic
down
food
chain
yet
fully
prevent
damage
caused
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
way
resolved
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Certification programs for sustainable palm oil exist, but enforcement gaps still allow rainforest clearing to continue for new plantations in various producing regions. Making sustainability certification genuinely effective at preventing this remains unresolved.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
sustainable
palm
oil
rainforest
clearing
new
plantations
haven
found
way
philosophy-ethics
whether
mathematics-logic
resolved
make
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
River dolphins are highly sensitive to pollution and habitat disruption, and several populations have declined sharply as rivers become more polluted and fragmented by development. Reversing this decline remains an unresolved conservation priority.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
have
decline
river
populations
pollution
habitat
don
scalable
way
prevent
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
resolved
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
River deltas provide fertile land for millions of people but are increasingly eroding due to upstream dam construction and rising sea levels reducing natural sediment replenishment. Protecting these critical, densely populated areas remains an unresolved challenge.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
river
deltas
densely
populated
yet
fully
prevent
erosion
support
some
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
haven
resolved
way
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Monarch butterflies depend on specific milkweed habitats along their long migration routes, and the loss of this habitat across multiple countries has contributed to sharp population declines. Coordinating protection across their entire migratory range remains unresolved.
social-civic-problems
global-unspecified
monarch
habitat
loss
along
migration
routes
don
have
effective
way
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
agreed
resolved
prevent
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Heavy metal contamination can persist in soil for decades, affecting both agricultural productivity and human health in nearby communities. Effective, affordable soil remediation at scale remains an unresolved environmental challenge.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
soil
contamination
heavy
yet
fully
prevent
metals
industrial
mining
activity
philosophy-ethics
whether
way
mathematics-logic
haven
health-biology
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Many cities' stormwater systems combine sewage and rainwater runoff, and heavy storms can cause this combined overflow to discharge untreated into nearby waterways. Fully separating and managing this runoff remains a costly, unresolved infrastructure challenge.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
stormwater
systems
fully
overflow
heavy
haven
found
way
make
urban
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
resolved
prevent
technology-computing
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Freshwater mussels play an important role in filtering water and supporting aquatic ecosystems, but they're highly sensitive to pollution and warming, and many populations are declining as a result. Protecting this often overlooked species remains an unresolved conservation issue.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
freshwater
populations
sensitive
pollution
yet
fully
prevent
bleaching
mussel
temperature
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
way
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Conventional cotton farming uses significant water and pesticides, and while more sustainable methods exist, they remain a small share of overall global production. Scaling sustainable practices to become the industry norm remains unresolved.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
sustainable
cotton
farming
practices
production
haven
solved
make
standard
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
way
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
As cities and suburbs expand, they often replace the wildflower meadows and natural habitats that pollinators depend on with lawns and pavement. Designing urban growth that preserves pollinator habitat remains inconsistently practiced.
society-governance
global-unspecified
pollinator
habitat
urban
don
have
effective
way
prevent
loss
caused
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
agreed
resolved
