You know climate change is real when reference begin sneaking into pop culture, with almost every television show and film speaking about how we, collectively, have destroyed the environment and how it might just be too late.
The latest? A kind of Pokémon that is based on a dead coral and was wiped out due to sudden climate changes and global warming. If you're an avid fan of the game, you'll know about Corsola, a coral based Pokémon which first appeared in 1999.
However, recently, the game released a Galarian version of the same Pokémon, and if things continue the way they are now, we might just end up with a similar fate. Unlike Corsola, who's pink in colour and has a smile on its face, the ghost version is pale and white and can be seen frowning.
The description of the Pokemon says, “Sudden climate change wiped out this ancient kind of Corsola."
Climate crisis is real, guys, and this is just one of the signs that our planet is dying. Apart from the fact that we're slowly killing ourselves and every living being around us slowly, the realisation that we're also destroying every 90s kid's favourite cartoon may have hit a tad too close to home. This is what Pokémon lovers have to say:
Just a reminder from Pokémon that our planet is dying pic.twitter.com/4jH9NQKBlX— Jolie Menzel (@joliemenzel) November 17, 2019
The fact that Galarian Corsola (from Pokemon Sword and Shield) became a Ghost-type pokemon with its description being "dead due to coral bleaching" makes me sad. I don't like this. pic.twitter.com/o1xOa7kaKW— (@JordanAron2k) November 17, 2019
Cursola has to be one of the most disturbing social commentaries in a #pokemon game ever. Poor old Corsola. #PokemonSwordandShield pic.twitter.com/CXV59n6rj5— Sways Grookey beats (@FandomZoneAus) November 21, 2019
Me: Galarian Corsola is so cool lookingMe, a day later, realizing that it's a ghost type pokemon because the coral are dying: pic.twitter.com/T9R5O9Csgg— annie chestnuts roasting (@GingerMuggins) November 18, 2019
I'm glad the new Pokémon games took the opportunity to include messaging about climate change. Even Corsola, the happy Water/Rock type coral reef Pokémon has transformed into a bleached-white gloomy Ghost type. #PokemonSwordShield #ClimateChange pic.twitter.com/H6R8Rs6aq0— Duffy (@Endwhile) November 18, 2019
They really went out and made a dead Corsola pokemon to represent the effects of climate change. EVEN THE CORAL POKEMON ARE GETTING BLEACHED pic.twitter.com/KQKnesYByP— PumpkinSpaceLatte (@ErickAustronaut) November 16, 2019
When Pokemon indicates the issues with coral bleaching you know it’s finally getting through to the masses - Corsola healthy then bleached pic.twitter.com/5ZdChSHU5v— Dr Michael Sweet (@DiseaseMatters) November 19, 2019
As most users pointed out, the Pokemon is a commentary on the issue of coral bleaching, which is one of the consequences of global warming. As water temperatures rise above average, it leads to coral bleaching. According to the UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme), coral bleaching has led to the death of coral on an unimaginable scale. About time we took global warming seriously, isn't it?