Southeast Asian coral reefs

The world is not doing enough to protect coral reefs, the United Nations' special envoy for the ocean said Tuesday in defense of the marine ecosystems that protect biodiversity, sustain underwater life and produce some of the oxygen we breathe.

Scientists have discovered a vast reef of "pristine" rose-shaped corals apparently unharmed by climate change in deep water off the coast of Tahiti, UNESCO announced on Jan. 21.

Mapping approximately three kilometers (two miles) long and up to 65 meters (213 feet) wide, UNESCO said it was "one of the most extensive healthy coral reefs on record."

As muddy rainwater surged from Hawaii's steep seaside mountains and inundated residential communities last month, the damage caused by flooding was obvious: Houses were destroyed and businesses swamped, landslides covered highways and raging rivers and streams were clogged with debris.