Pollution from aircraft is set to grow so rapidly that all homeowners, car drivers and businesses will have to reduce their carbon dioxide output to zero for levels to remain safe, a new study warned today.

The study, carried out by the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, says that even if the growth in air travel were halved, the rest of the economy would need to cut greenhouse gas emissions far beyond the government's target of 60% by 2050.

"If the UK government does not curb aviation growth, all other sectors of the economy will eventually be forced to become carbon neutral," Dr Kevin Anderson, who led the study, said.

His colleague Dr Simon Shackley said the failure of global governments to think about air travel meant the proposed targets would not achieve safe pollution levels.

"No one is underestimating the challenge of implementing policies to deal with climate change," he said. "But the failure of all governments to think about international aviation and shipping has led to a serious underestimation of the actions necessary."

Under current regulations, shipping and aviation are not considered to be part of a country's CO2 output, but the report - entitled Decarbonising the UK - wants this to be changed as soon as possible.

It says aviation is particularly polluting because planes burn vast amounts of kerosene fuel at high altitudes.

The rapid growth in aircraft pollution stems from the boom in budget airlines, fuelled by increasing passenger demand. Government officials have predicted that UK air passenger numbers will increase from 180 million to 475 million over the next 25 years.

The government target of a 60% cut by 2050 is based on the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere described by scientists as safe if dangerous climate change is to be avoided. However, recent research suggests this target may have to be increased to 90%.

The study, carried out over a five-year period, sets out steps the government and industry need to take to cut CO2 emissions over the next 45 years.

One idea is to introduce citizen's carbon permits, which would give everyone a set limit for the CO2 they can produce.

A tax on aviation fuel could be introduced to limit air travel, but the environment minister Elliot Morley today said there was no evidence that this would be effective.

"People will simply pay the tax and continue to travel, and we won't actually stop the growth," he told BBC Breakfast.

"I actually think there are other ways of doing it. The most effective one is to include aviation within carbon trading schemes, so there is an absolute limit on the amount of emissions from the aviation sector."

The Tyndall Centre report is the first to combine greenhouse gases from the UK's industry sector with those from air, sea and land transport.

It includes different perspectives from energy analysts, engineers, economists and social and environmental scientists, and its key conclusions were:

· Policies for reducing energy demand are a more flexible tool than implementing low carbon supplies.

· The government must implement and enforce minimum energy standards.

· Improvements in energy efficiency can dramatically decarbonise many sectors.

· Supplying low carbon energy is both technically and economically viable.

· A low carbon society does not necessarily preclude increases in personal travel.

· International aviation and marine emissions must be included in carbon reduction targets.