World Solve

Current approaches to methods for restoring the ecological function of rivers fragmented by dams and 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.

Urban drainage infrastructure in Yemen was designed for historical rainfall patterns and now floods regularly under intensified storms, with no funded plan for systemic upgrade.

Long-term anxiety and depression tied to job insecurity and informal labor in Chile are poorly quantified, making it difficult for policymakers to justify investment in preventive mental health infrastructure.

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.

Organic waste makes up a large share of landfilled municipal waste in Papua New Guinea, generating methane emissions that could be avoided with accessible composting infrastructure.

Despite recognition of its importance, reliable methods for inclusive digital public infrastructure resistant to both outages and capture 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.

Current approaches to systems ensuring the reliability and security of digital infrastructure under climate extremes 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.

Rapid urban growth in Indonesia has produced large informal settlements lacking basic infrastructure, and in-place upgrading approaches remain rare compared to displacement-driven redevelopment models.

A persistent gap exists in realizing practical, scalable solutions for predictive analytics for anticipating and preventing cascading infrastructure failures. 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.

Despite recognition of its importance, reliable methods for institutional designs that make long-term investments in public health infrastructure politically sustainable 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.

Develop local skills, spare-parts access, inspection methods, and financing so public infrastructure continues functioning after installation. The challenge is especially acute in informal settlements, where existing solutions often assume stable institutions, high incomes, continuous connectivity, or centralized service delivery.

Translate quantum sensing advances into rugged, affordable tools for detecting pollutants, groundwater changes, magnetic anomalies, and infrastructure defects.

Develop equitable clinical, laboratory, telemedicine, and data-sharing pathways that shorten diagnostic odysseys without requiring centralized high-cost sequencing.

Create practical inventories, cryptographic transition plans, testing frameworks, and procurement standards for government systems vulnerable to future quantum attacks.

Build coordinated monitoring, habitat protection, energy-infrastructure planning, and legal cooperation for species crossing many countries.

Design roads, railways, pipelines, and transmission lines with wildlife crossings, routing, monitoring, and community safeguards that work at landscape scale.

Develop drainage, runway materials, power backup, communications, and financing approaches for airports essential to island connectivity and disaster response.

Assess when and how neglected rail lines can be rehabilitated for low-carbon freight, regional development, and resilient transport.

Develop materials, inspection methods, protective coatings, financing, and maintenance plans for roads, ports, bridges, and water systems exposed to salt and humidity.

Develop cost-effective seismic upgrades, risk prioritization, financing, and phased construction plans that preserve educational continuity.