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
New Zealand, Oceania
Achieving biotechnologies for engineering crops that require substantially less water and fertilizer 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
oceania
new-zealand
engineering
biotechnologies
crops
require
substantially
less
water
fertilizer
practical
realization
climate-environment
systems
society-governance
methods
solutions
open
New Zealand, Oceania
Achieving solvent-free recovery of critical minerals from complex e-waste 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.
climate-environment
oceania
new-zealand
solvent-free
recovery
critical
minerals
complex
e-waste
integrated
pathways
achieving
meaningful
economics-resources
systems
society-governance
methods
solutions
open
Paraguay, South America
Achieving protocols for the rapid and equitable deployment of climate adaptation technologies 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.
climate-environment
south-america
paraguay
protocols
rapid
equitable
deployment
climate
adaptation
technologies
overcoming
barriers
achieving
economics-resources
systems
society-governance
methods
technology-computing
Despite recognition of its importance, reliable methods for energy storage and conversion systems optimized for intermittent renewable microgrids 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
cambodia
energy
storage
conversion
systems
optimized
intermittent
renewable
microgrids
practical
realization
methods
society-governance
designs
barriers
economics-resources
Achieving mechanisms ensuring that AI-driven productivity gains translate into broadly shared prosperity 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
africa
uganda
mechanisms
ensuring
ai-driven
productivity
gains
translate
broadly
shared
prosperity
practical
systems
climate-environment
society-governance
solutions
methods
Biodiversity hotspots in Nigeria depend on short-term donor grants that rarely cover more than a few years, leaving conservation programs unable to plan or retain trained staff long-term.
climate-environment
africa
nigeria
biodiversity
long-term
hotspots
financing
protection
depend
short-term
donor
grants
term
long
economics-resources
ecosystems
systems
methods
Existing crop insurance schemes in Pakistan are financially unworkable for smallholder farmers due to high premiums, slow claims verification, and payout structures poorly matched to localized weather risk.
climate-environment
asia
pakistan
crop
insurance
designing
products
viable
smallholders
existing
schemes
financially
smallholder
farmers
economics-resources
global-unspecified
Achieving affordable and scalable solutions for the prevention and management of diabetes and hypertension 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
africa
ghana
solutions
affordable
scalable
prevention
management
diabetes
hypertension
systemic
addressing
achieving
society-governance
systems
climate-environment
methods
ensuring
open
New Zealand, Oceania
Achieving nature-based solutions for coastal and riverine flood risk that support livelihoods and biodiversity 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.
climate-environment
oceania
new-zealand
biodiversity
nature-based
solutions
coastal
riverine
flood
risk
support
livelihoods
integrated
economics-resources
systems
society-governance
nature
based
Gig economy workers in Australia lose access to healthcare and retirement benefits between short-term engagements because current labor protections are tied to single-employer relationships.
economics-resources
oceania
australia
benefits
gig
economy
workers
designing
portable
systems
lose
access
technology-computing
informal
society-governance
global-unspecified
open
Costa Rica, North America
Despite recognition of its importance, reliable methods for governance models for managing the risks and benefits of geoengineering research and potential deployment 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.
society-governance
north-america
costa-rica
models
deployment
governance
managing
risks
benefits
geoengineering
research
potential
field-ready
climate-environment
systems
methods
technology-computing
economics-resources
open
United States, North America
Achieving pathways for achieving high rates of reuse and repair of consumer products 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
north-america
united-states
achieving
pathways
high
rates
reuse
repair
consumer
products
development
meaningful
climate-environment
systems
society-governance
methods
solutions
Achieving mechanisms for aligning the incentives of financial institutions with climate and sustainability outcomes 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.
climate-environment
europe
poland
systems
mechanisms
aligning
incentives
financial
institutions
climate
sustainability
outcomes
field-ready
economics-resources
society-governance
ensuring
technology-computing
methods
open
United Kingdom, Europe
Farmers in Ukraine widely rely on diesel pumps for irrigation, and solar-powered alternatives remain financially out of reach without financing mechanisms tailored to seasonal farm income.
economics-resources
europe
united-kingdom
irrigation
diesel
ukraine
electrifying
agricultural
dependence
farmers
widely
rely
pumps
without
africa
poland
egypt
pakistan
Achieving durable solutions for plastic and microplastic removal from ocean gyres 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.
climate-environment
europe
portugal
durable
solutions
plastic
microplastic
removal
ocean
gyres
deployable
technologies
achieving
society-governance
economics-resources
systems
methods
ensuring
open
Brazil, South America
Despite recognition of its importance, reliable methods for affordable methods for continuous monitoring of air and water quality in informal settlements 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
methods
affordable
continuous
monitoring
air
water
quality
informal
settlements
robust
society-governance
systems
economics-resources
enabling
health-biology
Achieving governance models for the responsible development of brain-computer interface technologies 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.
society-governance
europe
netherlands
governance
models
responsible
development
brain-computer
interface
technologies
systemic
solutions
addressing
economics-resources
systems
climate-environment
ensuring
enabling
Achieving architectural and urban designs that maximize resilience to compound climate hazards 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.
climate-environment
asia
cambodia
architectural
urban
designs
maximize
resilience
compound
climate
hazards
practical
realization
economics-resources
systems
society-governance
methods
solutions
Despite recognition of its importance, reliable methods for deliberation systems reducing affective polarization while preserving contestation 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
europe
spain
deliberation
systems
reducing
affective
polarization
while
preserving
contestation
breakthrough
approaches
methods
society-governance
barriers
designs
economics-resources
Achieving interventions that close the gender gap in STEM participation in low-income settings 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
africa
tanzania
settings
interventions
close
gender
gap
stem
participation
low-income
deployable
technologies
systems
climate-environment
society-governance
solutions
methods