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
South & Southeast Asia, Asia
Vehicle emissions, crop burning, and industrial smoke create hazardous smog seasons in cities like Delhi and Jakarta. Low-cost air-purification tech and stricter enforceable emission-trading systems are needed.
climate-environment
asia
south-southeast-asia
air-pollution
air
pollution
south
southeast
asian
megacities
causes
millions
premature
deaths
global-unspecified
african
urban
cities
Depression and anxiety are widely underreported due to social taboos, leaving many untreated for years. Anonymous digital counseling platforms tailored to local languages could lower the barrier to seeking help.
technology-computing
asia
mental-health
seeking
mental
health
stigma
asian
cultures
prevents
people
care
depression
health-biology
global-unspecified
access
remains
african
Out-of-pocket medical expenses remain extremely high in countries without universal coverage, forcing families to sell assets during health crises. Affordable micro-health-insurance products could reduce this financial shock.
economics-resources
asia
families
healthcare
costs
driving
millions
asian
poverty
each
year
out-of-pocket
global-unspecified
health-biology
african
health
social-civic-problems
affordable
Unregulated over-the-counter antibiotic sales and heavy use in livestock farming are breeding drug-resistant bacteria. Point-of-care rapid diagnostics could reduce unnecessary prescriptions.
health-biology
asia
antimicrobial
resistance
accelerating
due
overuse
antibiotics
asian
healthcare
agriculture
unregulated
global-unspecified
haven
rapid
building
affordable
early
open
South & Southeast Asia, Asia
Inheritance customs split land across generations, leaving average farm sizes shrinking below profitable thresholds. Cooperative farming models and land-pooling platforms could restore economies of scale.
economics-resources
asia
south-southeast-asia
land
fragmentation
making
farms
too
small
economically
viable
asian
countries
global-unspecified
society-governance
remain
communities
african
open
Southeast Asia, Asia
Weak enforcement in contested and remote maritime zones allows unsustainable and unlicensed fishing to continue. Satellite-based vessel tracking and community-managed marine reserves could help restore stocks.
science-space
asia
southeast-asia
fishing
stocks
illegal
overfishing
depleting
southeast
asian
waters
weak
enforcement
near
global-unspecified
african
economics-resources
unreported
Many staple crops have not been bred for the increasing heat and erratic rainfall smallholders now face. Localized breeding programs and seed-distribution networks need faster scaling.
climate-environment
asia
smallholders
access
climate-resilient
crop
varieties
remains
limited
asian
staple
crops
global-unspecified
philosophy-ethics
african
whether
breeding
way
Cities like Karachi, Dhaka, and Chennai face chronic shortages and rely heavily on costly tanker deliveries. Rainwater harvesting mandates and leak-reduction technology could ease urban water stress.
climate-environment
asia
south-asia
urban
water
systems
south
asian
megacities
cannot
keep
pace
population
cities
african
global-unspecified
heat
haven
Heavily subsidized irrigation water discourages efficient use in water-stressed countries like Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Volumetric water pricing paired with efficient irrigation tech could cut waste significantly.
climate-environment
asia
central-asia
water
pricing
subsidy
structures
often
encourage
wasteful
central
asian
agriculture
global-unspecified
urban
whether
don
philosophy-ethics
Cheap subsidized electricity and fuel encourage overuse and strain government budgets that could otherwise fund renewables. Smart-subsidy targeting using digital ID systems could redirect support to those who need it most.
society-governance
asia
energy
subsidies
several
asian
countries
discourage
efficient
consumption
cheap
subsidized
systems
resilient
corruption
global-unspecified
climate-environment
creating
Slum residents often rely on illegal, unsafe electricity connections due to lack of formal grid access. Pay-as-you-go solar kits designed for dense urban informal housing could offer safer alternatives.
social-civic-problems
asia
access
informal
urban
energy
settlements
asian
megacities
remains
inconsistent
slum
global-unspecified
african
economics-resources
society-governance
systems
Countries without domestic gas reserves face volatile energy costs tied to global supply disruptions. Diversifying into renewables and regional gas-sharing agreements could reduce this exposure.
local-regional
asia
gas
natural
import
dependency
leaves
several
asian
economies
vulnerable
price
global-unspecified
whether
african
philosophy-ethics
determine
climate-environment
Without reliable charging networks, EV adoption stalls in smaller cities and rural areas despite growing manufacturing capacity. Battery-swapping stations designed for two- and three-wheelers could accelerate rural EV adoption.
local-regional
asia
charging
cities
electric
vehicle
infrastructure
remains
sparse
outside
major
asian
rural
global-unspecified
african
climate-environment
urban
access
Lack of trained teachers and computer labs keeps rural students from developing skills needed for tech careers. Mobile coding labs and free online curricula in local languages could expand access.
social-civic-problems
asia
coding
students
stem
education
remains
inaccessible
outside
major
asian
cities
access
global-unspecified
african
rural
low
africa
Overproduction of certain degree holders, like general arts graduates, leaves many educated youth unemployed or underemployed. Career-guidance platforms using labor-market data could steer students toward in-demand fields.
economics-resources
asia
youth
several
asian
countries
face
severe
mismatch
between
degrees
earned
global-unspecified
africa
remains
low
young
unemployment
open
South & Southeast Asia, Asia
Poverty forces families to send children to work instead of school, particularly in informal manufacturing and agriculture sectors. Conditional cash-transfer programs tied to school attendance have proven effective at reducing this.
economics-resources
asia
south-southeast-asia
school
children
child
labor
continues
keep
millions
asian
out
poverty
social-civic-problems
global-unspecified
education
girls
remain
Easy consumer credit access without matching financial literacy is pushing many families into unsustainable debt cycles. Financial literacy apps integrated with lending platforms could reduce default risk.
technology-computing
asia
debt
household
levels
rising
rapidly
several
fast-growing
asian
economies
financial
global-unspecified
haven
african
social-civic-problems
remains
whether
Workers from countries like the Philippines, India, and Bangladesh lose significant income to transfer fees sending money home. Blockchain-based remittance corridors could dramatically cut these costs.
technology-computing
asia
india
blockchain
remittance
costs
workers
cross-border
remain
high
millions
asian
migrant
countries
economics-resources
global-unspecified
informal
african
Entrepreneurs outside cities like Bangalore, Jakarta, or Singapore struggle to access venture capital networks. Regional angel-investor networks and remote due-diligence tools could spread funding more evenly.
local-regional
asia
singapore
funding
startup
remains
concentrated
few
major
asian
tech
hubs
leaving
global-unspecified
african
access
africa
urban
Cities like Manila, Jakarta, and Mumbai rank among the world's most congested, costing billions in lost time and fuel. Integrated mass-transit expansion and smart traffic-management systems are urgently needed.
economics-resources
asia
traffic
congestion
asian
megacities
causes
massive
economic
productivity
losses
cities
african
systems
urban
global-unspecified
climate-environment
infrastructure