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
Small-scale fishers in Bangladesh often operate without formal recognition or access to credit, insurance, or market infrastructure, leaving them economically vulnerable and undercounted in fisheries policy.
economics-resources
asia
bangladesh
small-scale
formalizing
fisher
livelihoods
rights
fishers
often
operate
formal
small
scale
global-unspecified
african
informal
remains
open
Canada, North America
Achieving methods for restoring the water quality and ecological function of urban rivers and lakes 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.
mathematics-logic
north-america
canada
methods
restoring
water
quality
ecological
function
urban
rivers
lakes
practical
economics-resources
climate-environment
systems
society-governance
solutions
open
South Africa, Africa
Schools in South Africa rarely have counselors trained to screen for depression, and stigma around mental illness discourages families from seeking care even where services technically exist.
social-civic-problems
africa
south-africa
depression
schools
south
addressing
untreated
adolescent
under-resourced
rarely
have
health-biology
global-unspecified
mental-health
Achieving materials enabling efficient direct conversion of sunlight to liquid fuels 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
europe
spain
materials
enabling
efficient
direct
conversion
sunlight
liquid
fuels
systemic
solutions
climate-environment
systems
society-governance
methods
technologies
open
New Zealand, Oceania
Current approaches to low-cost continuous metabolic monitors for resource-limited diabetes care 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
oceania
new-zealand
low-cost
continuous
metabolic
monitors
resource-limited
diabetes
care
deployable
technologies
current
systems
climate-environment
enabling
approaches
solutions
open
Haiti, North America
Women in rural areas of Haiti often travel long distances for reproductive healthcare, and the shortage of trained providers leaves many without access to family planning or maternal care services.
economics-resources
north-america
haiti
access
reproductive
healthcare
rural
expanding
safe
women
areas
often
global-unspecified
remains
african
urban
Emergency relief supplies in Myanmar are typically mobilized only after a cyclone makes landfall, resulting in critical delays reaching affected communities in the first 72 hours.
economics-resources
asia
myanmar
supply-chain
emergency
cyclone
pre-positioning
supply
chains
ahead
season
relief
supplies
pre
positioning
critical
kenya
nigeria
Smallholder farmers in Romania lack affordable, low-evaporation water storage to bridge increasingly erratic rainy seasons, forcing crop failure during even short dry spells.
climate-environment
europe
romania
water
storage
smallholder
farmers
designing
drought-resilient
lack
affordable
low-evaporation
global-unspecified
economics-resources
urban
african
Postpartum hemorrhage remains a leading cause of maternal death in Indonesia because low-resource facilities often lack rapid blood-typing, stored blood products, and trained staff to intervene within the critical first hour after delivery.
health-biology
asia
indonesia
maternal
postpartum
hemorrhage
reducing
mortality
remote
regions
remains
leading
global-unspecified
whether
way
philosophy-ethics
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
