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
Future progress on human development and planetary health depends on solving denial of past crimes continuing. Conventional approaches have proven insufficient. The required intervention must integrate community knowledge, data and appropriate technology while remaining affordable, privacy-preserving and operable with minimal external support. Strong solutions will articulate measurable impact metrics, risk mitigation strategies, and a plan for sustained operation by local actors after the pilot phase.
denial
past
crimes
continuing
scaling
social-civic-problems
Addressing cryptocurrency enabling crime is critical for achieving the 2030 Agenda. Current efforts fall short in scale, speed and equity, leaving the most vulnerable behind. Any viable solution must function in low-resource settings with limited specialists, transport, laboratory capacity and broadband. Proposals should specify quantifiable biological, social or environmental outcomes, openly discuss potential risks, and present a realistic pathway for long-term maintenance and local ownership beyond short research pilots.
cryptocurrency
enabling
crime
2030
creating
mathematics-logic
The problem of crime mapping remaining weak continues to affect hundreds of millions of people and undermines progress on multiple Sustainable Development Goals. Existing responses remain fragmented, under-resourced and poorly adapted to local contexts. A strong solution must operate effectively under severe constraints of skilled personnel, infrastructure, electricity and connectivity. It should define clear measurable outcomes, identify possible unintended harms, and demonstrate how the intervention can be sustained by local institutions long after initial funding ends.
crime
mapping
remaining
weak
developing
other
Addressing war crimes going unpunished is critical for achieving the 2030 Agenda. Current efforts fall short in scale, speed and equity, leaving the most vulnerable behind. Any viable solution must function in low-resource settings with limited specialists, transport, laboratory capacity and broadband. Proposals should specify quantifiable biological, social or environmental outcomes, openly discuss potential risks, and present a realistic pathway for long-term maintenance and local ownership beyond short research pilots.
war
crimes
going
unpunished
2030
mathematics-logic
Future progress on human development and planetary health depends on solving high crime rates in many cities. Conventional approaches have proven insufficient. The required intervention must integrate community knowledge, data and appropriate technology while remaining affordable, privacy-preserving and operable with minimal external support. Strong solutions will articulate measurable impact metrics, risk mitigation strategies, and a plan for sustained operation by local actors after the pilot phase.
solutions
high
crime
rates
many
social-civic-problems
young people jailed for minor crimes remains one of the most urgent challenges of our time. Systems currently in place are inadequate for the scale and complexity of the problem. A successful approach must work where resources are scarcest and demonstrate clear, measurable results. It should identify possible harms, respect local agency, and show how the solution can be maintained and expanded by the communities it is meant to serve.
young
people
jailed
minor
crimes
social-civic-problems
open
South America / Unspecified, South America
Organised crime, drug trafficking, and gangs erode daily life quality and impose large economic costs on South American societies. Integrated crime-data platforms and evidence-based policing tools could support safer communities.
social-civic-problems
south-america
south-america-unspecified
crime
violence
levels
remain
high
some
places
worsening
organised
drug
technology-computing
global-unspecified
society-governance
whether
south
open
South America / Unspecified, South America
Conservation pledges collide with pressures from agriculture, mining, and organised crime in biodiverse regions. Remote-sensing monitoring tools and community-based conservation finance can support enforcement.
climate-environment
south-america
south-america-unspecified
deforestation
habitat
loss
amazon
ecosystems
continue
conservation
pledges
collide
global-unspecified
philosophy-ethics
whether
prevent
way
have
open
South America / Unspecified, South America
Drug trafficking, illegal mining, and wildlife crime cross borders and ecosystems. Regional crime-intelligence and monitoring platforms can support joint action.
society-governance
south-america
south-america-unspecified
crime
transnational
networks
exploit
weak
governance
geography
south
america
drug
global-unspecified
illegal
wildlife
trafficking
economics-resources
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Lack of transparency hinders reforms. Open justice data can guide improvements.
society-governance
global-unspecified
data
justice
crime
outcomes
incomplete
lack
transparency
hinders
reforms
open
technology-computing
systems
african
limited
sparse
whether
open
Southeast Asia, Asia
Weak enforcement capacity has allowed scam operations, sometimes linked to trafficking, to flourish in the region. Coordinated regional cybercrime task forces and stronger digital forensics capacity are urgently needed.
local-regional
asia
southeast-asia
cybercrime
has
regional
originating
parts
southeast
grown
major
global-unspecified
african
remains
africa
digital
illegal
Porous borders and weak arms-control enforcement allow illegal weapons to circulate freely, sustaining violence. Regional arms-tracking databases and stronger cross-border cooperation could reduce illicit flows.
social-civic-problems
africa
small
arms
proliferation
fuels
conflict
crime
several
african
regions
porous
global-unspecified
weak
society-governance
asia
economics-resources
philosophy-ethics
Weak digital literacy and law enforcement capacity make the continent both a source and target of online fraud and scams. Regional cybercrime units and public awareness campaigns need significant investment.
social-civic-problems
africa
cybercrime
originating
targeting
rising
rapidly
weak
digital
literacy
law
technology-computing
public
african
asia
global-unspecified
gap
online
High-value illicit wildlife products continue to flow through regional transportation hubs, driven by organized crime networks and persistent market demand for traditional medicine and exotic pets.
economics-resources
asia
vietnam
wildlife
hubs
haven
curbed
illegal
trade
routes
operating
transshipment
southeast
trafficking
global-unspecified
society-governance
african
africa
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Software that predicts where crime might occur or who might commit it is being adopted by police departments with little independent oversight of its accuracy or fairness. This leaves significant power in tools that haven't been thoroughly vetted for bias.
technology-computing
global-unspecified
tools
there
widely
accepted
framework
governments
regulate
own
predictive
policing
society-governance
philosophy-ethics
whether
resolved
haven
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Legal disagreements over evidence standards, human rights protections, or political considerations often delay extradition requests for years, sometimes indefinitely. This lets serious crimes go unpunished simply due to geography.
society-governance
global-unspecified
extradition
legal
years
processes
between
countries
different
systems
take
letting
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
african
technology-computing
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Criminal networks can move faster across borders than law enforcement agencies can share information and coordinate action. Even close allies often face legal and bureaucratic hurdles that slow joint investigations.
society-governance
global-unspecified
coordinate
governments
struggle
cross-border
responses
organized
crime
operating
multiple
countries
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
have
african
don
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Predictive policing tools can reflect and reinforce biases present in historical policing data, raising fairness concerns even when the tools reduce some crime. Whether their benefits ethically outweigh this risk remains contested.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
policing
tools
whether
predictive
historical
crime
data
haven
settled
ethical
resolved
mathematics-logic
know
possible
society-governance
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Predictive tools can estimate future risk with some accuracy, but punishing based on probability rather than actual action raises deep unresolved ethical concerns. This tension is becoming more pressing as predictive technology improves.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
punishing
but
don
know
whether
possible
justify
people
crimes
haven
resolved
mathematics-logic
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Justice systems around the world vary wildly in how harshly they punish the same crimes, reflecting different beliefs about what punishment is actually for. Whether punishment should aim to rehabilitate, deter, or simply punish remains unresolved.
society-governance
global-unspecified
punishment
justice
don
agree
versus
revenge
punish
systems
around
world
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
determine
haven
mathematics-logic