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
A persistent gap exists in realizing practical, scalable solutions for supply chain transparency systems that verifiably exclude forced and child labor. 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
supply-chain
practical
supply
chain
transparency
systems
verifiably
exclude
forced
child
labor
solutions
methods
ensuring
scalable
A persistent gap exists in realizing practical, scalable solutions for designs for energy and mobility systems that support both climate goals and social equity. 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
oceania
samoa
designs
energy
mobility
systems
support
both
climate
goals
social
equity
solutions
climate-environment
methods
institutional
ensuring
open
Papua New Guinea, Oceania
Achieving protocols for equitable benefit-sharing from genetic resources and digital sequence data 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.
technology-computing
oceania
papua-new-guinea
protocols
equitable
benefit-sharing
genetic
resources
digital
sequence
data
overcoming
barriers
economics-resources
systems
climate-environment
society-governance
solutions
A persistent gap exists in realizing practical, scalable solutions for multiplex field sensors for waterborne pathogens and microplastics. 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
india
scalable
solutions
multiplex
field
sensors
waterborne
pathogens
microplastics
persistent
gap
systems
methods
governance
practical
ensuring
A persistent gap exists in realizing practical, scalable solutions for materials enabling efficient and durable electrochemical synthesis of ammonia and fuels. 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
africa
dr-congo
durable
materials
enabling
efficient
electrochemical
synthesis
ammonia
fuels
overcoming
barriers
solutions
systems
technologies
methods
scalable
open
Papua New Guinea, Oceania
The majority of informal-sector workers in Papua New Guinea have no access to pension savings mechanisms, leaving them financially vulnerable in old age.
economics-resources
oceania
papua-new-guinea
pension
informal-sector
workers
papua
new
guinea
extending
coverage
majority
have
informal
sector
global-unspecified
Limited economic opportunity in rural areas of Morocco is driving large-scale youth migration to cities that lack the infrastructure or job market to absorb them.
economics-resources
africa
morocco
rural
youth
driving
migration
addressing
unemployment
urban
limited
economic
global-unspecified
african
access
remains
infrastructure
open
United Kingdom, Europe
A persistent gap exists in realizing practical, scalable solutions for protocols for the ethical conduct of research involving vulnerable populations in climate-affected regions. 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
europe
united-kingdom
protocols
ethical
conduct
research
involving
vulnerable
populations
climate-affected
regions
breakthrough
solutions
systems
scalable
methods
governance
Achieving methods for quantifying the biodiversity impacts of different land-use and agricultural systems 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
africa
mozambique
biodiversity
methods
systems
quantifying
impacts
different
land-use
agricultural
robust
enabling
society-governance
economics-resources
solutions
technology-computing
designs
A persistent gap exists in realizing practical, scalable solutions for mycelium treatments reversing soil compaction and restoring networks. 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
europe
sweden
mycelium
treatments
reversing
soil
compaction
restoring
networks
development
persistent
gap
solutions
systems
methods
scalable
practical
Millions of rural households in Bangladesh remain unconnected to the grid, and mini-grid and solar home system providers struggle with financing models that make service affordable while remaining commercially viable.
climate-environment
asia
bangladesh
rural
households
extending
reliable
electricity
off-grid
millions
remain
unconnected
local
might
actors
social-civic-problems
mathematics-logic
health-biology
open
Paraguay, South America
Current approaches to nature-based solutions for wildfire risk reduction that also support ecosystem health 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
south-america
paraguay
enabling
nature-based
solutions
wildfire
risk
reduction
also
support
ecosystem
health
climate-environment
systems
methods
technologies
nature
open
Solomon Islands, Oceania
Current approaches to urban hydrogen distribution leak sensor and isolation meshes 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
solomon-islands
enabling
urban
hydrogen
distribution
leak
sensor
isolation
meshes
robust
methods
climate-environment
systems
approaches
solutions
under
The absence of robust, context-adapted solutions for modular housing meeting simultaneous seismic flood and heat standards 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
oceania
samoa
modular
housing
meeting
simultaneous
seismic
flood
heat
standards
integrated
pathways
solutions
systems
climate-environment
robust
methods
open
United States, North America
Current approaches to technologies enabling the continuous monitoring of ocean health indicators at global scale 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
united-states
technologies
enabling
continuous
monitoring
ocean
health
indicators
scale
deployable
climate-environment
systems
health-biology
solutions
methods
Despite recognition of its importance, reliable methods for protocols for responsible dual-use research in artificial intelligence and biotechnology 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
africa
kenya
artificial-intelligence
protocols
responsible
dual-use
research
artificial
intelligence
biotechnology
systemic
solutions
addressing
climate-environment
methods
systems
society-governance
open
Argentina, South America
Achieving AI-assisted discovery of novel antibiotics against Gram-negative pathogens 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
south-america
argentina
ai-assisted
discovery
novel
antibiotics
against
gram-negative
pathogens
robust
methods
enabling
systems
climate-environment
society-governance
solutions
designs
Current approaches to pathways for transitioning coal-dependent communities to sustainable and dignified livelihoods 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.
economics-resources
oceania
australia
pathways
transitioning
coal-dependent
communities
sustainable
dignified
livelihoods
integrated
current
approaches
society-governance
climate-environment
systems
enabling
solutions
open
Chile, South America
Despite recognition of its importance, reliable methods for solutions for providing high-quality primary healthcare in remote and underserved 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
south-america
chile
barriers
solutions
providing
high-quality
primary
healthcare
remote
underserved
regions
overcoming
methods
society-governance
systems
economics-resources
high
A persistent gap exists in realizing practical, scalable solutions for mechanisms for ensuring that the benefits of technological innovation are widely shared. 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
europe
spain
practical
mechanisms
ensuring
benefits
technological
innovation
widely
shared
realization
persistent
solutions
systems
methods
scalable
governance