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
Car-centric planning causes gridlock and accidents. Mass transit and safe walking-cycling infrastructure are needed.
society-governance
global-unspecified
urban
transport
systems
congested
unsafe
car-centric
planning
causes
gridlock
accidents
public
technology-computing
climate-environment
african
cities
without
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
High urban housing costs exceed incomes. Affordable housing finance and supply-side interventions can help.
social-civic-problems
global-unspecified
housing
affordability
crises
push
families
precarious
living
conditions
high
urban
affordable
african
resources
cities
economics-resources
climate-environment
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Vehicle and industrial emissions drive smog. Emission standards and clean transport can improve air.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
air
urban
quality
worsening
cities
vehicle
industrial
emissions
drive
smog
african
pollution
society-governance
asia
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Development encroaches on parks and open areas. Urban greening policies and protections are needed.
science-space
global-unspecified
public
green
space
shrinking
development
encroaches
parks
open
areas
urban
society-governance
climate-environment
technical
african
haven
standards
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Floods, earthquakes, and storms hit ill-prepared cities. Risk-sensitive planning and early-warning systems can reduce impacts.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
urban
disaster
risk
management
underdeveloped
floods
earthquakes
storms
hit
ill-prepared
systems
cities
society-governance
african
water
climate
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Residents have little say in planning decisions. Digital participation tools and local councils can improve voice.
society-governance
global-unspecified
participatory
urban
governance
mechanisms
weak
residents
have
little
say
planning
digital
technology-computing
african
decisions
local
whether
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Landfills and dumping persist. Circular waste industries and source separation can help.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
waste-management
waste
urban
management
systems
struggle
volume
recycling
landfills
dumping
persist
economics-resources
plastic
circular
african
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Street vendors and informal services go uncounted. Inclusive data collection can inform policy.
society-governance
global-unspecified
data
informal
urban
economies
sparse
street
vendors
services
uncounted
inclusive
settlements
technology-computing
systems
african
without
local
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Resource use grows faster than population. Circular economy models can reduce footprints.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
material
footprint
consumption
keeps
rising
resource
grows
faster
population
circular
society-governance
interventions
reduce
systems
climate-environment
economy
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Single-use plastics overwhelm systems. Bans, alternatives, and recycling can reduce pollution.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
waste-management
plastic
waste
management
inadequate
single-use
plastics
overwhelm
systems
bans
alternatives
society-governance
recycling
african
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Intensive agriculture degrades land and biodiversity. Sustainable farming and diets can mitigate impacts.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
biodiversity
food
systems
generate
both
waste
environmental
harm
intensive
agriculture
degrades
society-governance
methods
economics-resources
real
time
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Consumers cannot see environmental and social impacts. Traceability systems and reporting standards are needed.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
supply-chain
corporate
supply
chains
lack
transparency
consumers
cannot
see
environmental
social
systems
society-governance
climate-environment
methods
technology-computing
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Choices are driven more by price than impact. Education and labeling can shift behavior.
social-civic-problems
global-unspecified
consumer
awareness
sustainability
remains
limited
choices
driven
price
impact
education
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
access
affordable
way
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Toxic materials contaminate land and water. Stronger regulation and treatment facilities are needed.
society-governance
global-unspecified
hazardous
waste
disposal
poorly
regulated
some
regions
toxic
materials
contaminate
mathematics-logic
reuse
might
local
actors
climate-environment
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Buildings waste energy and materials. Green building standards can improve performance.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
built
environment
design
often
ignores
resource
efficiency
buildings
waste
energy
materials
society-governance
systems
standards
african
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Waste from one sector could be inputs for another. Platforms to match by-products with users can enable symbiosis.
technology-computing
global-unspecified
symbiosis
industrial
opportunities
untapped
waste
sector
inputs
another
platforms
match
climate-environment
byproducts
building
africa
african
management
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Standards vary, complicating comparison. Harmonized ESG metrics can help.
society-governance
global-unspecified
data
corporate
sustainability
performance
inconsistent
standards
vary
complicating
comparison
harmonized
limited
african
incomplete
sparse
climate-environment
technology-computing
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Current pledges lead to higher warming. Stronger NDCs and enforcement mechanisms are required.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
national
emissions
reduction
commitments
remain
insufficient
current
pledges
lead
higher
society-governance
mechanisms
ensuring
design
principles
solutions
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Many climate-vulnerable nations lack resources to adapt. Innovative finance tools and grant mechanisms are needed.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
finance
adaptation
vulnerable
countries
falls
short
needs
climate-vulnerable
nations
lack
mechanisms
climate
ensuring
african
access
development
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Communities already losing land and livelihoods see little support. Operationalizing loss-and-damage funds is critical.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
loss
damage
climate
impacts
lack
clear
compensation
mechanisms
communities
already
economics-resources
society-governance
african
relocation