Final answer:
The reliability of a source on carbon dioxide emissions is best judged by the scientific research backing it and the quality of the supporting evidence. Atmospheric carbon is a global issue due to the borderless nature of its impact on climate. Comparisons of current emissions between countries do not accurately reflect responsibility for climate change due to historical and other factors.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding whether a source is reliable, especially regarding topics such as carbon dioxide emissions, typically requires examining the evidence presented, assessing the potential for bias, and determining the credibility of the supporting references. When a source is backed by scientific research, this generally enhances its reliability because scientific methods and peer review processes are designed to ensure accuracy and validity. Much of our current understanding of greenhouse gases and climate comes from rigorous scientific analysis.
Atmospheric carbon is a global problem because its effects, such as climate change, are not confined by national borders. Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide contribute to global warming by trapping heat in the atmosphere. Therefore, evaluating a source of carbon dioxide emissions reliability would include looking at the quality of the data presented, its scientific backing, and whether other credible research supports the assertions made.
Assessing blame based solely on current total carbon emissions between countries can be misleading due to various factors such as historical emissions, current policies, energy needs, and the level of development. Similarly, disagreements within the scientific community, such as the contribution of fossil fuel use and deforestation to increased CO2, require that we go to the most direct and authoritative sources for reliable information.