A database on world problems, as recognized by international organizations and other constituencies, is maintained by the Union of International Associations.
UNESCO notes that the demand from governments for cooperation in the area of world problem analyses, prospective development studies and long-term planning has remained moderate. Although joint studies with national research institutions of both developed and developing countries have produced results of high quality, their relevance to national and local decision-making processes has been extremely limited, methods of policy analysis and planning having too often been based on imported or unsuitable models.