BUSAN, South Korea (AP) — Negotiators working on a treaty to address the global crisis of plastic pollution inched closer to an agreement Friday, with more countries saying they want to address the total plastic on Earth.

The most contentious issue of the talks is whether there will be a limit on the amount of plastic that companies are allowed to produce. Panama proposed text for the treaty to address plastic production on Thursday.

Juan Carlos Monterrey, head of Panama’s delegation, said it’s a compromise proposal to build consensus because it does not include a numerical target or production cap. Instead, it says countries would adopt a global target at a later conference of the parties meeting.

Support for Panama’s proposal quickly grew to over 100 countries. Some plastic-producing and oil and gas countries, including Saudi Arabia, vigorously oppose including plastic production in the treaty, calling it a red line. Russia’s delegation has said if the world is serious about this treaty, negotiators must concentrate on provisions acceptable for all delegations.

On Friday afternoon, Luis Vayas Valdivieso, the committee chair from Ecuador, issued a paper with draft treaty text, condensing the views expressed by negotiators during the week. The treaty article on production has Panama’s proposal. The other option is to strike that article.

“This is great! This is great,” Monterrey said as he read the document on his cellphone just after it was issued.

“It is a big show of force, of muscle, for those countries that are ambitious. And also this shows that consensus is still possible,” he said in an interview.

Global plastics production is set to reach 736 million tons by 2040, up 70% from 2020, without policy changes, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Environmental organizations demonstrated with signs outside the convention center Friday morning, demanding that negotiators show courage.

Negotiators began meeting Monday in Busan. They split into groups to consider text for treaty articles. By the midpoint of the negotiations, none had agreed to anything. They were having long discussions over topics where there’s more agreement, such as the need to manage plastic waste better. And they hadn’t settled on some of the basics of the treaty, such as the scope and definitions.

Valdivieso told them Wednesday night their progress was too slow and they had to speed up significantly.

The delegations will now discuss Valdivieso’s paper and decide whether to agree to the articles. The meeting ends late Sunday or early Monday.

U.N. Environment Program Executive Director Inger Andersen said there’s still enough time to land an agreement, “if we work hard.”

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In North County, a full Thanksgiving dinner was served to those who might not have a home for the holidays. 

Dozens of people found relief and a warm meal offered by some volunteers with challenges of their own at the Interfaith Community Services nutrition center in Escondido Thursday afternoon.

“Believe it or not, leftovers, we’ll turn into soup,” said lead cook Bill Lewis. He has been creating menus in the center’s kitchen for almost 25 years. He started among the homeless and addicts desperate for recovery and the support Interfaith Community Services offers. Now he passes it forward.

“I reflect on how thankful I am that this place was here for me and I can only hope and pray that other people find the same blessing that I did thanks to this organization,” Lewis said.

Besides the home-cooked meal, Interfaith also distributed 340 turkeys and 10,000 lbs. of non-perishable food to families and individuals who needed it.

The non-profit, non-denominational organization means anyone can ask for help to stabilize their lives.

They have wrap-around services to find housing, employment, and any other basic needs.

Terri Bearer and her caregiver Mike Kluey were grateful to make it to a Thanksgiving table after surviving their own of difficulties.

“I went through their program and I’ve got two years clean and sober, off everything,” Kluey said.

Bearer has had health issues and he struggled with addiction.

“We found out about (the dinner) and I was blessed to come here. I’m not quite sure what I would have done, otherwise. Maybe find food on the street,” Bearer said.

J.D. Escobedo, 13, is a seventh-grade student who volunteered with his family to prepare and serve the dinner. He doesn’t have much experience in the kitchen. What he does have is heart and compassion. 

“I wanted to help others. People who don’t have a Thanksgiving, just give them something to celebrate,” he said.

His schoolmate Eva Hernandez, 11, and her family have reasons of their own for volunteering this year.

“We’ve been through some hard times. So, I just wanted to help people who have hard times get through it,” Eva said.

Bearer said she was grateful for the food and inspired by the families who volunteered to serve her.

“I’m a strong woman. I have two feet. Don’t crawl on your knees. Stand on your feet,” she said with a smile.

He’s one of the most famous black and white animals in San Diego and he just celebrated a very rare milestone. Best Friend is a male macaroni penguin at SeaWorld San Diego, and he just turned 40.

“I still think he looks quite dashing for 40 years old,” laughed Katie Belnick, one of SeaWorld’s zoological specialist for birds. “Every single day that I get to come and see him just warms my heart.”

Best Friend was hatched in San Diego in 1984. Belnick said the average macaroni penguin is lucky to live 15 years in the wild, 30 years in captivity. That makes Best Friend a rarity.

“It’s just a testament to the awesome care that we can provide these animals,” explained Belnick. “Conservation and having ambassador animals to represent those species is what we’re all about.”

Belnick and her coworkers at the famous Penguin Encounter said fewer than 1% of penguins live to see 40.

“Reaching 40 years old is an absolute humongous milestone,” she concluded.

White Best Friend is currently SeaWorld’s oldest penguin, he’s hardly the record holder. Belnick said they had an emperor penguin reach 49-years-old a few years ago.