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
Global / Unspecified, Global
Many major rivers depend on glacial melt for a steady water supply, and as these glaciers shrink, the long-term water security of downstream populations becomes increasingly uncertain. Protecting or planning around this shrinking resource remains unresolved.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
water
glaciers
downstream
haven
solved
protect
serve
primary
sources
millions
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
urban
way
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Overgrazing, deforestation, and changing rainfall patterns continue to push arid regions toward full desertification faster than restoration projects can reverse. Scaling effective land restoration to match the pace of degradation remains unresolved.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
deforestation
effective
desertification
arid
regions
don
have
affordable
way
prevent
spreading
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Industrial chemicals can seep into groundwater and rivers used for drinking water, and cleanup once contamination occurs is often extremely difficult and expensive. Preventing contamination before it happens remains far more effective than remediation after the fact.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
contamination
drinking
water
industrial
yet
fully
prevent
sources
chemical
runoff
philosophy-ethics
whether
mathematics-logic
haven
way
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Wind turbine blades and other renewable energy components can be difficult and costly to recycle, creating a growing waste stream from an industry meant to be environmentally beneficial. Closing this lifecycle gap remains an unresolved sustainability challenge.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
renewable-energy
renewable
energy
haven
found
way
make
infrastructure
fully
recyclable
end
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Tropical forests host a huge share of the world's biodiversity, and converting this land for farming, even when done for legitimate food needs, often results in permanent species loss. Balancing food production with biodiversity protection remains unresolved.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
biodiversity
loss
tropical
forests
don
have
scalable
way
prevent
being
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
resolved
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Salt and chemicals used to keep roads safe in winter can wash into nearby streams and lakes, harming aquatic life over time. Finding equally effective but less harmful alternatives remains an underaddressed environmental challenge.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
salt
chemicals
harming
yet
fully
prevent
runoff
road
de-icing
freshwater
philosophy-ethics
whether
mathematics-logic
way
resolved
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Various seafood sustainability labels exist, but standards and enforcement vary enough between certifying bodies that consumers can't always trust what a label truly guarantees. Creating a single, reliable global standard remains unresolved.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
seafood
haven
solved
make
sustainable
certification
consistent
trustworthy
different
countries
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
way
resolved
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Construction and demolition debris makes up a significant share of total waste in many rapidly growing cities, and recycling this material at scale remains inconsistently practiced. Reducing this waste stream remains an unresolved urban sustainability issue.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
waste
construction
demolition
growing
cities
don
have
effective
way
prevent
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
A fungal disease combined with habitat destruction has driven sharp declines in amphibian populations across many regions, and effective large-scale intervention remains limited. Protecting these ecologically important species remains an unresolved conservation priority.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
amphibian
populations
disease
habitat
yet
fully
prevent
decline
linked
loss
whether
philosophy-ethics
way
resolved
determine
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Some carbon offset programs have been found to overstate their actual climate benefit or allow the same emissions reduction to be claimed by multiple parties. Building a fully transparent, verifiable offset system remains an unresolved challenge.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
offset
found
carbon
programs
verifiable
haven
way
make
consistently
free
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
resolved
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Excess natural gas at oil extraction sites is often simply burned off rather than captured and used, wasting a valuable resource while releasing preventable emissions. Capturing this gas instead of flaring it remains inconsistently adopted across the industry.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
gas
oil
flaring
wasting
releasing
emissions
don
have
scalable
way
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
agreed
resolved
prevent
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Textile factories, especially in regions with weaker environmental regulation, often release dye chemicals directly into rivers, causing serious water pollution. Making this process clean and affordable at industrial scale remains an unresolved challenge.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
textile
water
pollution
haven
solved
make
dyeing
manufacturing
processes
free
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
way
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Ships can unintentionally transport invasive species across oceans in the water they carry for stability, introducing them to ecosystems where they can cause serious ecological disruption. Fully preventing this transfer remains inconsistently enforced globally.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
invasive
species
water
ships
don
have
effective
way
prevent
spread
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
resolved
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Old-growth forests support unique biodiversity that can't simply be replaced by planting new trees, since the ecological complexity takes centuries to develop. Protecting the last remaining old-growth forests remains an urgent, unresolved conservation priority.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
biodiversity
old-growth
forests
centuries
yet
fully
prevent
depletion
take
regrow
once
philosophy-ethics
whether
way
mathematics-logic
have
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Colony collapse disorder continues to threaten commercial and wild bee populations that are essential for pollinating much of the global food supply. A comprehensive solution addressing all contributing factors at once remains unresolved.
health-biology
global-unspecified
collapse
bee
haven
found
way
prevent
colonies
caused
combination
pesticides
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
resolved
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Poaching and illegal trade continue to threaten species like elephants, rhinos, and pangolins despite international protections, because enforcement remains inconsistent and demand persists. Closing this gap between law and enforcement remains an unresolved global conservation issue.
society-governance
global-unspecified
illegal
species
don
have
scalable
way
prevent
wildlife
trafficking
pushing
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
resolved
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Bycatch, the unintentional capture of dolphins, sea turtles, and other non-target species in fishing gear, remains a significant driver of population decline for several marine species. Designing gear that fully prevents this remains technically unresolved.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
gear
species
fishing
non-target
marine
haven
solved
make
industrial
doesn
philosophy-ethics
whether
mathematics-logic
way
prevent
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
As farmland expands to meet growing food demand, it frequently cuts through pathways that wildlife species depend on for seasonal migration. Balancing agricultural needs with preserving these corridors remains an unresolved land-use challenge.
social-civic-problems
global-unspecified
agricultural
wildlife
migration
corridors
don
have
effective
way
prevent
expansion
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
resolved
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Biodegradable packaging alternatives exist but often don't yet match the protective qualities of traditional plastic needed to keep food safe and fresh for the same duration. Closing this performance gap remains an unresolved materials science challenge.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
plastic
packaging
biodegradable
food
haven
found
way
make
fully
compromising
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
resolved
determine
don
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
