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
High upfront capital costs and weak grid infrastructure deter renewable energy investment despite ideal conditions. Innovative financing models and mini-grid interconnection standards could accelerate deployment.
climate-environment
africa
renewable-energy
vast
solar
wind
potential
remains
largely
untapped
high
upfront
systems
energy
global-unspecified
society-governance
infrastructure
methods
Subsidies often benefit wealthier car owners more than the poor while straining government finances. Data-driven targeted subsidy reform could redirect funds to renewable infrastructure.
society-governance
africa
subsidy
fuel
systems
african
countries
drain
public
budgets
inefficiently
subsidies
global-unspecified
whether
philosophy-ethics
technology-computing
haven
Aging infrastructure and illegal connections cause massive revenue leakage for power companies, discouraging investment. Smart metering and blockchain-based billing systems could reduce losses significantly.
technology-computing
africa
blockchain
losses
grid
electricity
theft
cost
african
utilities
billions
annually
aging
systems
local-regional
society-governance
global-unspecified
transmission
Informal settlements often sit in floodplains, and drainage infrastructure has not scaled with urban growth. Low-cost flood-mapping and early-warning apps could reduce casualties.
climate-environment
africa
drainage
flooding
african
cities
worsening
due
poor
unplanned
settlement
informal
urban
settlements
society-governance
global-unspecified
systems
economics-resources
Chronic underfunding and brain drain limit local scientific contribution despite talent. Diaspora-linked research funding platforms could channel more resources into African institutions.
society-governance
africa
research
university
output
remains
tiny
fraction
total
chronic
global-unspecified
technology-computing
mathematics-logic
philosophy-ethics
african
whether
Most African children under 5 have no access to structured pre-primary learning, affecting long-term cognitive development. Low-cost community-run preschool franchise models could scale quickly.
social-civic-problems
africa
early
childhood
education
coverage
very
low
continent
african
children
under
society-governance
global-unspecified
access
health-biology
development
Frequent devaluations make long-term investment risky for both local entrepreneurs and foreign investors. Regional currency stabilization mechanisms and dollar-indexed savings products could offer some protection.
economics-resources
africa
currency
savings
volatility
inflation
erode
business
planning
african
economies
frequent
local-regional
global-unspecified
remains
asia
society-governance
whether
Rising borrowing costs and currency depreciation mean debt servicing now consumes large shares of national budgets, crowding out health and education spending. Transparent debt-management dashboards could improve public accountability.
social-civic-problems
africa
public
debt
burdens
african
nations
becoming
unsustainable
rising
borrowing
costs
society-governance
global-unspecified
whether
haven
philosophy-ethics
health-biology
Different gauges and disconnected networks between countries hinder efficient continental trade. New standard-gauge rail corridors linking regional economies are underway but need faster completion.
local-regional
africa
rail
infrastructure
fragmented
largely
colonial-era
different
gauges
disconnected
networks
climate-environment
african
global-unspecified
countries
remains
asia
society-governance
Slow customs processing and outdated equipment at major ports add days of delay and cost to imports and exports. Digital single-window customs systems could sharply cut clearance times.
economics-resources
africa
cost
port
congestion
inefficiency
raise
african
trade
significantly
customs
slow
systems
society-governance
digital
many
global-unspecified
Formal construction cannot keep pace with urban population growth, leaving slums as the default option for new city arrivals. Affordable modular and 3D-printed housing ventures are gaining traction as solutions.
social-civic-problems
africa
housing
shortages
fast-growing
african
cities
pushing
millions
informal
settlements
formal
urban
global-unspecified
society-governance
climate-environment
Many skilled developers leave for remote jobs abroad or emigrate entirely due to limited local opportunities. Africa-focused tech hubs and outsourcing platforms could retain more talent domestically.
economics-resources
africa
tech
talent
local
jobs
pipeline
outpaces
number
high-quality
available
african
global-unspecified
remains
remote
society-governance
research
technology-computing
Most African internet traffic is routed through servers in Europe, increasing latency and costs. Local data center buildouts, especially in underserved regions, present strong infrastructure investment opportunities.
climate-environment
africa
data
infrastructure
centers
cloud
remain
scarce
continent
african
internet
traffic
global-unspecified
technology-computing
society-governance
systems
whether
limited
Few universities have the compute infrastructure or funding to pursue frontier research in these fields, risking long-term technological dependency. Shared regional compute clusters and diaspora-led research partnerships could help close this gap.
mathematics-logic
africa
research
quantum
investment
lags
far
behind
continents
compute
global-unspecified
society-governance
technology-computing
systems
philosophy-ethics
african
infrastructure
whether
Without reliable ID systems, citizens struggle to access banking, healthcare, and government services. Interoperable biometric ID platforms, if privacy-protected, could unlock major efficiency gains.
technology-computing
africa
systems
digital
identity
african
countries
incomplete
fragmented
reliable
citizens
struggle
society-governance
global-unspecified
climate-environment
economics-resources
whether
philosophy-ethics
Many streets and buildings lack formal addresses, making delivery difficult and costly for online retailers. Digital addressing apps using GPS pins could solve this cheaply.
technology-computing
africa
addressing
e-commerce
logistics
hampered
unreliable
systems
streets
buildings
lack
digital
society-governance
global-unspecified
african
social-civic-problems
grievance
online
Droughts, floods, and cyclones are intensifying across the continent despite Africa's minimal historical carbon footprint. Climate adaptation financing mechanisms tailored to African needs remain underdeveloped.
climate-environment
africa
climate-change
climate
contributes
least
emissions
but
suffers
disproportionately
change
society-governance
mechanisms
methods
global-unspecified
whether
governance
Weak enforcement and high demand for ivory and rhino horn sustain illegal wildlife trade networks. AI-powered camera traps and ranger-support drone systems are improving anti-poaching efforts but need wider deployment.
economics-resources
africa
wildlife
efforts
poaching
continues
threaten
endangered
species
despite
conservation
weak
systems
climate-environment
society-governance
global-unspecified
illegal
philosophy-ethics
Many African countries lack the weather stations and forecasting capacity to warn communities ahead of droughts or floods. Low-cost automated weather stations and mobile alert systems could save lives and crops.
climate-environment
africa
weather
systems
climate
data
early-warning
extreme
remain
sparse
continent
stations
society-governance
technology-computing
global-unspecified
whether
ensuring
real
open
West & Central Africa, Africa
Weak institutions, resource competition, and ethnic tensions continue to trigger instability, displacing millions. Early-warning conflict-monitoring platforms using open-source data could support faster diplomatic intervention.
society-governance
africa
west-central-africa
civil
conflicts
coups
remain
frequent
parts
west
central
weak
data
global-unspecified
institutions
asia
south
african
