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
As solar panels and batteries age, Africa lacks systems to recycle them safely, risking toxic pollution. Formal e-waste recycling startups could turn this into a resource-recovery industry.
climate-environment
africa
e-waste
solar
lacks
recycling
battery
disposal
growing
adoption
proper
infrastructure
waste
global-unspecified
systems
management
haven
african
Most African cities lack sewage networks, leaving pit latrines and open defecation common even in dense slums. Decentralized fecal sludge treatment startups are an underexplored business opportunity.
local-regional
africa
urban
sanitation
systems
have
not
kept
pace
rapid
city
growth
global-unspecified
african
cities
climate-environment
asia
water
Unregulated borehole drilling for agriculture and cities is drawing down aquifers faster than they recharge. Satellite-based groundwater monitoring tools could inform sustainable extraction limits.
science-space
africa
groundwater
depletion
threatens
long-term
water
security
several
regions
unregulated
borehole
climate-environment
global-unspecified
urban
asia
whether
long
Informal settlements often sit in floodplains, and drainage infrastructure has not scaled with urban growth. Low-cost flood-mapping and early-warning apps could reduce casualties.
climate-environment
africa
drainage
flooding
african
cities
worsening
due
poor
unplanned
settlement
informal
urban
settlements
society-governance
global-unspecified
systems
economics-resources
Lake Victoria and other water bodies suffer from algal blooms and declining fish stocks due to unregulated pollution. Affordable water-quality sensors could enable community-led monitoring and enforcement.
climate-environment
africa
industrial
agricultural
runoff
polluting
african
lakes
rivers
lake
victoria
global-unspecified
water
whether
philosophy-ethics
pollution
near
affordable
Aging pipe networks and poor maintenance waste water that cities desperately need. Leak-detection sensor startups and IoT-based monitoring could recover significant volumes.
climate-environment
africa
water
cities
utilities
african
lose
over
treated
leaks
aging
pipe
global-unspecified
urban
asia
whether
systems
don
Traditional grazing routes are drying up, fueling conflict between herders and farmers over remaining water points. Solar-powered water-point mapping and rotational grazing platforms could ease tensions.
technology-computing
africa
sahel
water
access
pastoralist
communities
shrinking
due
desertification
grazing
traditional
routes
global-unspecified
climate-environment
urban
african
asia
Banks demand collateral most small businesses cannot provide, stalling job-creating ventures. Alternative credit-scoring using mobile and transaction data could unlock lending at scale.
economics-resources
africa
small
medium
enterprises
face
massive
financing
gap
estimated
hundreds
billions
businesses
global-unspecified
climate-environment
african
technology-computing
solar
Most households and farms have no protection against disasters, illness, or crop failure, deepening poverty cycles. Micro-insurance products bundled with mobile money could expand coverage rapidly.
economics-resources
africa
insurance
penetration
among
lowest
world
households
farms
have
protection
products
climate-environment
climate
global-unspecified
against
shocks
african
Different gauges and disconnected networks between countries hinder efficient continental trade. New standard-gauge rail corridors linking regional economies are underway but need faster completion.
local-regional
africa
rail
infrastructure
fragmented
largely
colonial-era
different
gauges
disconnected
networks
climate-environment
african
global-unspecified
countries
remains
asia
society-governance
Formal construction cannot keep pace with urban population growth, leaving slums as the default option for new city arrivals. Affordable modular and 3D-printed housing ventures are gaining traction as solutions.
social-civic-problems
africa
housing
shortages
fast-growing
african
cities
pushing
millions
informal
settlements
formal
urban
global-unspecified
society-governance
climate-environment
Substandard buildings have collapsed in several African cities, killing residents, due to lax inspection and corrupt permitting. Digital building-permit and inspection tracking systems could improve enforcement.
technology-computing
africa
construction
quality
building
codes
weakly
enforced
risking
disaster
inspection
substandard
global-unspecified
systems
african
digital
climate-environment
whether
Most African internet traffic is routed through servers in Europe, increasing latency and costs. Local data center buildouts, especially in underserved regions, present strong infrastructure investment opportunities.
climate-environment
africa
data
infrastructure
centers
cloud
remain
scarce
continent
african
internet
traffic
global-unspecified
technology-computing
society-governance
systems
whether
limited
Without reliable ID systems, citizens struggle to access banking, healthcare, and government services. Interoperable biometric ID platforms, if privacy-protected, could unlock major efficiency gains.
technology-computing
africa
systems
digital
identity
african
countries
incomplete
fragmented
reliable
citizens
struggle
society-governance
global-unspecified
climate-environment
economics-resources
whether
philosophy-ethics
Logging, charcoal production, and agricultural expansion are destroying rainforest that regulates regional and global climate. Community-based forest monitoring using satellite and drone imagery could help enforce protections.
climate-environment
africa
deforestation
rates
central
west
remain
among
highest
globally
logging
global-unspecified
forest
science-space
illegal
philosophy-ethics
whether
remote
Overgrazing, deforestation, and reduced rainfall are turning arable land into desert, forcing migration and fueling conflict. Large-scale reforestation efforts like the Great Green Wall need faster, better-funded implementation.
climate-environment
africa
sahel
deforestation
desertification
expanding
displacing
millions
overgrazing
reduced
rainfall
turning
land
prevent
global-unspecified
spreading
housing
economics-resources
Droughts, floods, and cyclones are intensifying across the continent despite Africa's minimal historical carbon footprint. Climate adaptation financing mechanisms tailored to African needs remain underdeveloped.
climate-environment
africa
climate-change
climate
contributes
least
emissions
but
suffers
disproportionately
change
society-governance
mechanisms
methods
global-unspecified
whether
governance
Rapid urban consumption growth has outpaced recycling infrastructure, leaving plastic waste in waterways and streets. Local plastic-to-value recycling startups could turn this waste into a resource.
climate-environment
africa
waste-management
waste
plastic
pollution
overwhelming
african
cities
limited
management
systems
recycling
local
global-unspecified
might
actors
economics-resources
Weak enforcement and high demand for ivory and rhino horn sustain illegal wildlife trade networks. AI-powered camera traps and ranger-support drone systems are improving anti-poaching efforts but need wider deployment.
economics-resources
africa
wildlife
efforts
poaching
continues
threaten
endangered
species
despite
conservation
weak
systems
climate-environment
society-governance
global-unspecified
illegal
philosophy-ethics
Cities like Lagos, Accra, and Dakar are losing land to erosion, threatening homes and economic infrastructure. Nature-based coastal defenses like mangrove restoration are cost-effective but underutilized.
economics-resources
africa
coastal
erosion
cities
infrastructure
rising
seas
threaten
major
african
like
climate-environment
global-unspecified
urban
systems
haven
