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
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
Ecuador, South America
Despite recognition of its importance, reliable methods for solutions for providing reliable digital connectivity in remote and disaster-affected areas 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.
technology-computing
south-america
ecuador
reliable
barriers
solutions
providing
digital
connectivity
remote
disaster-affected
areas
overcoming
climate-environment
methods
society-governance
systems
health-biology
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
The absence of robust, context-adapted solutions for pathways for achieving universal access to clean cooking without locking in high emissions 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
europe
romania
solutions
pathways
achieving
universal
access
clean
cooking
locking
high
emissions
systems
climate-environment
methods
robust
enabling
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
Current approaches to institutional arrangements that accelerate the retirement of high-emitting infrastructure 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
institutional
arrangements
accelerate
retirement
high-emitting
infrastructure
scalable
solutions
current
approaches
systems
climate-environment
enabling
designs
under
Unregulated industrial discharge into river basins near Indonesia is degrading downstream drinking water quality, but enforcement is hampered by a lack of low-cost, continuous water-quality sensors.
climate-environment
asia
indonesia
industrial
discharge
river
basins
near
reducing
effluent
shared
unregulated
global-unspecified
water
african
The absence of robust, context-adapted solutions for biotechnologies enabling the production of high-performance textiles and materials from agricultural waste 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
europe
france
enabling
robust
biotechnologies
production
high-performance
textiles
materials
agricultural
waste
methods
solutions
systems
climate-environment
technologies
low
A persistent gap exists in realizing practical, scalable solutions for technologies enabling precise monitoring of soil health and carbon stocks at farm and landscape scales. 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
cambodia
solutions
technologies
enabling
precise
monitoring
soil
health
carbon
stocks
farm
systems
methods
climate-environment
scalable
governance
Last-mile freight delivery in Egypt's congested cities remains dominated by diesel vehicles, and electric alternatives face high upfront costs and inadequate charging infrastructure.
society-governance
africa
egypt
last-mile
freight
delivery
congested
cities
electrifying
remains
dominated
diesel
last
mile
climate-environment
global-unspecified
secondary
Despite recognition of its importance, reliable methods for mechanisms aligning private R&D incentives with global health and climate priorities 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
indonesia
mechanisms
aligning
private
incentives
health
climate
priorities
breakthrough
approaches
methods
systems
society-governance
barriers
solutions
designs
Despite recognition of its importance, reliable methods for biotechnologies for engineering microorganisms that convert atmospheric CO2 into useful products 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
oceania
fiji
biotechnologies
engineering
microorganisms
convert
atmospheric
co2
useful
products
development
despite
methods
systems
society-governance
barriers
high
open
Colombia, South America
The absence of robust, context-adapted solutions for interventions that improve the nutritional quality of diets in low- and middle-income countries 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
colombia
interventions
improve
nutritional
quality
diets
low
middle-income
countries
deployable
technologies
systems
solutions
climate-environment
methods
robust
open
Ecuador, South America
The absence of robust, context-adapted solutions for nature-based solutions for landslide risk reduction on steep slopes in tropical regions 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
ecuador
solutions
nature-based
landslide
risk
reduction
steep
slopes
tropical
regions
breakthrough
systems
climate-environment
methods
enabling
nature
open
Canada, North America
Current approaches to institutional innovations reducing the lag between scientific evidence and policy action 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
north-america
canada
institutional
innovations
reducing
lag
between
scientific
evidence
policy
action
deployable
systems
climate-environment
enabling
designs
solutions
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
Despite recognition of its importance, reliable methods for ambient methane oxidation catalysts for livestock regions 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
portugal
ambient
methane
oxidation
catalysts
livestock
regions
deployable
technologies
despite
recognition
methods
systems
barriers
society-governance
designs
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