But in some parts of Australia, welcoming 2020 was a harrowing ordeal – an ongoing raging wildfire has displaced tens of thousands of people and killed millions of animals and plants.
Heartbreaking images and videos of animals trying to flee from the fire were shared all over the internet since November.
The sky also turned into an eerie shade of red, which looked like something out of a post-apocalyptic film, indicating how seriously unbreathable the air quality is.
Ecologists from the University of Sydney have estimated about 480 million mammals, birds, and reptiles have been lost since September, with the figure likely to continue to soar, as reported by Metro UK.
The koalas are one of the species affected the most due to their demeanour – slow-moving mammals that consume eucalyptus tree leaves which contain oil, making them highly flammable.
The killer bushfire is happening in New South Wales, Victoria and Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and the condition there is so bad that the Malaysian government has also issued a travel advisory to tourists travelling there.
The Australian government has declared a seven-day state of emergency following the magnitude of the bushfire.
Global warming is real guys, and half a billion animals that suffered the consequences are just the beginning of it.
If you or someone you know are currently in Australia and are affected by the fire, do not hesitate to contact the High Commission of Malaysia in Canberra, the Consulate General of Malaysia in Melbourne, or the Consulate of Malaysia in Sydney for any consular assistance.