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
Chile, South America
The absence of robust, context-adapted solutions for complete proteins from agricultural lignocellulosic residues creates cascading risks across interconnected human and natural systems. Key missing elements include durable performance, low lifetime cost, and governance arrangements capable of sustaining impact beyond pilot stages.
society-governance
south-america
chile
solutions
complete
proteins
agricultural
lignocellulosic
residues
systemic
addressing
absence
robust
systems
climate-environment
methods
enabling
governance
open
United Kingdom, Europe
A persistent gap exists in realizing practical, scalable solutions for biotechnologies enabling the conversion of organic waste into high-value proteins and materials. Scientific understanding, engineering readiness and institutional capacity remain insufficient to translate promising concepts into durable impact under real-world constraints of cost, skills and governance.
society-governance
europe
united-kingdom
biotechnologies
enabling
conversion
organic
waste
high-value
proteins
materials
development
persistent
solutions
systems
technologies
scalable
methods
open
Ecuador, South America
The absence of robust, context-adapted solutions for methods for assessing the resilience of food systems to simultaneous climate and geopolitical shocks creates cascading risks across interconnected human and natural systems. Key missing elements include durable performance, low lifetime cost, and governance arrangements capable of sustaining impact beyond pilot stages.
climate-environment
south-america
ecuador
systems
methods
assessing
resilience
food
simultaneous
climate
geopolitical
shocks
practical
society-governance
solutions
ensuring
designs
enabling
open
Honduras, North America
The absence of robust, context-adapted solutions for methods for quantifying the health co-benefits of different climate mitigation strategies creates cascading risks across interconnected human and natural systems. Key missing elements include durable performance, low lifetime cost, and governance arrangements capable of sustaining impact beyond pilot stages.
climate-environment
north-america
honduras
methods
quantifying
health
co-benefits
different
climate
mitigation
strategies
development
absence
society-governance
solutions
systems
robust
enabling
open
Argentina, South America
Despite recognition of its importance, reliable methods for designs for energy storage that use only materials available in the Global South at scale are still lacking. Progress is hindered by incomplete mechanistic knowledge, high capital and operational barriers, and the absence of deployment models suited to the contexts of greatest need.
climate-environment
south-america
argentina
designs
energy
storage
only
materials
available
south
scale
development
methods
systems
society-governance
barriers
high
economics-resources
A persistent gap exists in realizing practical, scalable solutions for governance models preventing catastrophic accidents in high-risk dual-use research facilities. Scientific understanding, engineering readiness and institutional capacity remain insufficient to translate promising concepts into durable impact under real-world constraints of cost, skills and governance.
society-governance
europe
portugal
governance
scalable
solutions
models
preventing
catastrophic
accidents
high-risk
dual-use
research
systems
methods
ensuring
practical
designs
open
Brazil, South America
Despite recognition of its importance, reliable methods for quantum-resistant cryptography practical for constrained critical IoT are still lacking. Progress is hindered by incomplete mechanistic knowledge, high capital and operational barriers, and the absence of deployment models suited to the contexts of greatest need.
climate-environment
south-america
brazil
barriers
quantum-resistant
cryptography
practical
constrained
critical
iot
overcoming
despite
recognition
methods
systems
society-governance
designs
high
Despite recognition of its importance, reliable methods for biotechnologies for engineering organisms that contribute to the circular economy and waste reduction are still lacking. Progress is hindered by incomplete mechanistic knowledge, high capital and operational barriers, and the absence of deployment models suited to the contexts of greatest need.
economics-resources
oceania
fiji
barriers
biotechnologies
engineering
organisms
contribute
circular
economy
waste
reduction
overcoming
climate-environment
methods
systems
society-governance
high
Despite recognition of its importance, reliable methods for materials and designs for buildings that sequester carbon over their full life cycle are still lacking. Progress is hindered by incomplete mechanistic knowledge, high capital and operational barriers, and the absence of deployment models suited to the contexts of greatest need.
climate-environment
asia
nepal
materials
designs
buildings
sequester
carbon
over
full
life
cycle
breakthrough
methods
systems
barriers
society-governance
high
open
Colombia, South America
Achieving real-time systems for detecting and responding to the illegal wildlife trade at meaningful scale demands simultaneous progress in fundamental research, engineering integration and socio-technical systems that work for low- and middle-income settings. Existing efforts remain fragmented relative to the magnitude of the challenge.
economics-resources
south-america
colombia
systems
real-time
detecting
responding
illegal
wildlife
trade
breakthrough
approaches
achieving
society-governance
climate-environment
technology-computing
real
time
open
United Kingdom, Europe
Current approaches to restoration techniques for coral reefs that succeed under ongoing ocean warming and acidification either underperform under variable field conditions or generate externalities that undermine long-term sustainability and equity. Closing the gap requires coordinated advances in science, systems design and enabling institutions.
society-governance
europe
united-kingdom
under
approaches
restoration
techniques
coral
reefs
succeed
ongoing
ocean
warming
systems
climate-environment
enabling
methods
designs
open
Costa Rica, North America
Despite recognition of its importance, reliable methods for ruminant microbiome interventions cutting methane over 50 percent are still lacking. Progress is hindered by incomplete mechanistic knowledge, high capital and operational barriers, and the absence of deployment models suited to the contexts of greatest need.
climate-environment
north-america
costa-rica
ruminant
microbiome
interventions
cutting
methane
over
percent
breakthrough
approaches
despite
methods
systems
barriers
society-governance
designs
A persistent gap exists in realizing practical, scalable solutions for mechanisms for ensuring that the voices of frontline communities shape climate and development decisions. Scientific understanding, engineering readiness and institutional capacity remain insufficient to translate promising concepts into durable impact under real-world constraints of cost, skills and governance.
society-governance
europe
greece
development
mechanisms
ensuring
voices
frontline
communities
shape
climate
decisions
persistent
solutions
systems
climate-environment
methods
scalable
The absence of robust, context-adapted solutions for biotechnologies for engineering microbes that produce biodegradable alternatives to conventional plastics creates cascading risks across interconnected human and natural systems. Key missing elements include durable performance, low lifetime cost, and governance arrangements capable of sustaining impact beyond pilot stages.
society-governance
asia
kazakhstan
biotechnologies
engineering
microbes
produce
biodegradable
alternatives
conventional
plastics
development
absence
solutions
systems
climate-environment
enabling
methods
Current approaches to neighborhood-scale wastewater systems recovering phosphorus and energy either underperform under variable field conditions or generate externalities that undermine long-term sustainability and equity. Closing the gap requires coordinated advances in science, systems design and enabling institutions.
climate-environment
europe
sweden
systems
enabling
neighborhood-scale
wastewater
recovering
phosphorus
energy
robust
methods
current
society-governance
technology-computing
designs
solutions
under
A persistent gap exists in realizing practical, scalable solutions for biotechnologies enabling the sustainable intensification of aquaculture and fisheries. Scientific understanding, engineering readiness and institutional capacity remain insufficient to translate promising concepts into durable impact under real-world constraints of cost, skills and governance.
society-governance
asia
japan
biotechnologies
enabling
sustainable
intensification
aquaculture
fisheries
field-ready
systems
persistent
gap
solutions
methods
climate-environment
scalable
technologies
open
Colombia, South America
Despite recognition of its importance, reliable methods for institutional designs that improve the accountability of international development and climate finance are still lacking. Progress is hindered by incomplete mechanistic knowledge, high capital and operational barriers, and the absence of deployment models suited to the contexts of greatest need.
climate-environment
south-america
colombia
institutional
designs
improve
accountability
international
development
climate
finance
practical
realization
society-governance
methods
systems
barriers
A persistent gap exists in realizing practical, scalable solutions for governance frameworks for the ethical use of genetic engineering in conservation and restoration. Scientific understanding, engineering readiness and institutional capacity remain insufficient to translate promising concepts into durable impact under real-world constraints of cost, skills and governance.
society-governance
asia
south-korea
governance
engineering
frameworks
ethical
genetic
conservation
restoration
integrated
pathways
persistent
solutions
systems
methods
scalable
ensuring
Achieving technological pathways diversifying critical mineral supply chains at meaningful scale demands simultaneous progress in fundamental research, engineering integration and socio-technical systems that work for low- and middle-income settings. Existing efforts remain fragmented relative to the magnitude of the challenge.
economics-resources
asia
cambodia
supply-chain
technological
pathways
diversifying
critical
mineral
supply
chains
development
achieving
meaningful
climate-environment
systems
society-governance
methods
Current approaches to governance models for the equitable sharing of benefits from space resource utilization either underperform under variable field conditions or generate externalities that undermine long-term sustainability and equity. Closing the gap requires coordinated advances in science, systems design and enabling institutions.
society-governance
asia
china
approaches
governance
models
equitable
sharing
benefits
space
resource
utilization
breakthrough
systems
climate-environment
enabling
solutions
ensuring
