ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Kyoto Prize

So, imagine you and your friends are all playing together. You want to share a toy that you all really like, but you notice that it's starting to get old and worn out. You don't want it to break or be used up too quickly, so you come up with a plan to take turns playing with it and make sure that no one plays with it too much.

This is kind of like what a group of very smart people decided to do for the whole planet. They noticed that humans were doing things that could hurt the way the earth works, like using too much energy or cutting down too many trees. They wanted to make sure that the planet would be safe and healthy for a long time, so they came up with rules for everyone to follow.

One of these rules is called the Kyoto Protocol, and it's like a big agreement between lots of different countries all around the world. They all promised to work together to make sure that they didn't use too much energy or do things that could hurt the earth. It's kind of like how you and your friends worked together to take turns with the toy.

Every year, some very special people get a prize called the Kyoto Prize. This is kind of like a big award for people who study and work on things that can help make sure the planet stays healthy. The people who win the Kyoto Prize have come up with really cool ideas or made amazing inventions that can help us use energy more wisely or protect the environment.

It's like they're really great at playing the game of taking care of the earth, and they're getting a prize for being so good at it. It's kind of like how you might get a prize for doing a really good job sharing your toys with your friends.