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.
Publicly citable
Every problem has a stable citation code for reference and discussion.
Filtered by relevance
Search by category, geography, status, and keywords.
Builder-oriented
Use the repository to find startup ideas, policy leads, and research agendas.
4194Total
4194Open
0Solved
9Humans
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 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
Allegations of fraud and weak independent oversight undermine public trust in democratic transitions. Blockchain-based or biometric voter verification systems could improve election integrity.
society-governance
africa
blockchain
electoral
processes
several
african
countries
face
credibility
transparency
allegations
fraud
systems
public
technology-computing
across
global-unspecified
Multiple agencies, unclear regulations, and informal fees discourage entrepreneurs from formalizing businesses. One-stop digital business registration portals have cut registration time dramatically where implemented.
society-governance
africa
business
bureaucratic
red
tape
makes
starting
formal
african
countries
slow
reducing
digital
global-unspecified
technology-computing
Understaffed courts leave suspects in pretrial detention for years, undermining justice and overcrowding prisons. Digital case-management systems and virtual hearings could speed up processing significantly.
society-governance
africa
systems
judicial
african
countries
suffer
severe
case
backlogs
understaffed
courts
technology-computing
digital
global-unspecified
whether
ensuring
economics-resources
Customary laws and inheritance practices frequently exclude women from owning the land they farm. Legal-aid apps and digital land-title registries designed for women could improve equity.
technology-computing
africa
women
land
ownership
rates
remain
far
lower
men
african
countries
global-unspecified
society-governance
social-civic-problems
fraud
whether
Over 80% of workers in countries like India, Bangladesh, and Nepal operate within informal economies without access to pensions, disability insurance, or minimum wage guarantees. Traditional bureaucratic tax and welfare systems fail to track or protect these transient and cash-reliant populations during economic shocks.
economics-resources
asia
india
informal
workers
haven
found
effective
mechanism
extend
formal
social
safety
global-unspecified
systems
african
technology-computing
settlements
Rapid installation of solar and wind capacity in countries like Vietnam and India frequently faces grid curtailment because high-voltage transmission lines and grid-scale battery storage are insufficiently developed.
climate-environment
asia
india
developed
grid
haven
scalable
architectures
integrate
intermittent
renewable
power
aging
global-unspecified
solar
energy
local-regional
whether
Riparian countries along shared river basins frequently restrict meteorological and hydrological data due to national security concerns, impeding joint flood prediction and climate resilience efforts.
climate-environment
asia
india
climate
haven
established
transparent
cross-border
data-sharing
agreements
regional
adaptation
modeling
society-governance
global-unspecified
methods
under
resilience
Seasonal burning of paddy straw remains the fastest, cheapest land clearing method for farmers, but it generates severe toxic haze affecting public health and air travel across multiple neighboring countries.
health-biology
asia
india
public-health
burning
haze
haven
solved
agricultural
crop
residue
causing
regional
transboundary
global-unspecified
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
Opaque national food storage figures cause neighboring Asian countries to impose immediate export bans during minor crop declines, artificially spiking global food prices.
climate-environment
asia
thailand
regional
export
bans
during
haven
built
real-time
grain
reserve
tracking
global-unspecified
food
prevent
whether
local-regional
Financial intermediaries charge high transfer fees on small money transfers sent home by low-income migrant workers, stripping billions from vulnerable households.
economics-resources
asia
philippines
fees
migrant
workers
haven
eliminated
predatory
cross-border
remittance
charged
overseas
technology-computing
global-unspecified
informal
health-biology
countries
Developing Asian countries spend more on servicing foreign debt than on climate adaptation. International financial institutions have not scaled debt swaps effectively.
climate-environment
asia
sri-lanka
debt
asian
haven
created
debt-for-climate
swap
mechanisms
significantly
relieve
sovereign
global-unspecified
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
determine
Plastics dumped in upstream countries flow down international rivers, polluting downstream nations that lack diplomatic enforcement mechanisms.
climate-environment
asia
cambodia
down
international
haven
stopped
transboundary
plastic
pollution
floating
shared
river
global-unspecified
whether
philosophy-ethics
society-governance
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Promises made to public workers decades ago about retirement benefits sometimes weren't matched with enough funding set aside to actually cover them. This leaves future governments facing financial strain that current officials often avoid addressing.
society-governance
global-unspecified
public
future
government
pension
systems
employees
countries
underfunded
relative
obligations
real
time
philosophy-ethics
whether
technology-computing
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Journalists investigating government wrongdoing in many countries face harassment, legal threats, or violence with limited international protection or recourse. Stronger, coordinated protections remain largely aspirational rather than actively enforced.
society-governance
global-unspecified
international
journalists
there
consistent
mechanism
protecting
report
corruption
own
governments
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
way
have
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Some former officials effectively become immune to prosecution once they leave power, either through legal loopholes or political reluctance to pursue former leaders. This can weaken accountability for abuses of power at the very top.
society-governance
global-unspecified
former
legal
leaders
countries
lack
clear
process
holding
accountable
actions
philosophy-ethics
whether
resolved
determine
have
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
If a significant cyberattack disabled core government systems, many countries lack a clearly rehearsed plan for maintaining basic governance functions during the recovery period. This leaves a critical vulnerability largely unaddressed until it's actually tested.
society-governance
global-unspecified
governance
systems
lack
plan
cyberattack
clear
govern
aftermath
major
public
technology-computing
whether
during
climate-environment
philosophy-ethics
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
When judges' careers, safety, or institutional funding depend on staying in the government's good graces, their ability to rule impartially against powerful officials can be compromised. Protecting judicial independence from this kind of pressure remains an ongoing struggle.
society-governance
global-unspecified
pressure
ability
rule
against
government
constitutional
courts
some
countries
face
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
local
improving
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Incumbent politicians in many countries can use public funds, staff, or platforms to boost their own re-election chances, giving them an unfair advantage over challengers. Clear, enforced separation between state resources and campaigning remains inconsistent.
society-governance
global-unspecified
state
resources
own
there
reliable
system
prevent
government
leaders
philosophy-ethics
whether
resolved
determine
have
haven
don