ROCKETING POLLUTION caused by air travel from Scotland could wreck the government's attempts to cut the emissions that are disrupting the climate, according to a new study.

If the number of passengers flying from Scottish airports increases as predicted, emissions from planes could end up swamping those from all other sources - and sabotaging ministers' plans to reduce climate pollution 80% by 2050.

The revelation has reinforced campaigners' calls for aviation to be fully included in the forthcoming Scottish climate change bill. If it is not, they warn, the bill could be "completely ineffective".

Government projections suggest a massive increase in air traffic from the UK over the next 50 years. The World Development Movement (WDM), which campaigns against poverty in developing countries, has estimated what this means for passenger numbers in Scotland.

At the moment, some 25 million people use Scotland's 15 airports every year. The vast majority travel via the country's four biggest airports: Edinburgh (9 million), Glasgow (8.8 million), Aberdeen (3.4 million) and Prestwick (2.4 million).

The number of air passengers is projected to increase to 30 million by 2010, 50 million by 2030 and 120 million by 2050. WDM say this would lead to an increase in carbon dioxide pollution from 10 million to 16 million tonnes.

The total would top Scotland's projected climate pollution from all other industries, vehicles and agriculture. This assumes that the government meets its 80% target and cuts emissions down to 13.5 million tonnes in 2050 (see table).

"It is absolutely vital that the Scottish government includes emissions from aviation in the Scottish climate change bill from the outset," said Liz Murray, WDM's head of campaigns in Scotland.

"By excluding aviation, it risks completely cancelling out action taken to reduce emissions in all other sectors of Scottish society and making the bill completely ineffective. Scotland owes it to those in the poorest countries, who are already feeling the devastating effects of climate change, to make this bill work."

The call for aviation to be addressed has been backed by the government's official green advisers, the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC). "Air transport should not be singled out but it also must not be overlooked," said Hugh Raven, the SDC's Scottish commissioner.

"For the Scottish government this means taking a consistent approach in its climate change bill and including greenhouse gas emissions from aviation in any Scottish target." A report from the SDC last week uncovered fundamental disagreements about the information underpinning the government's aviation strategy.

"Until some basic questions are answered, the UK is not in a position to make major decisions about the future of air travel," argued Raven.

This week a new umbrella group, Airportwatch Scotland, is due to meet for the first time to plan a campaign of action against airport expansions.

Sophie Temple Preston, one of the organisers, said: "New airports must be stopped from blighting communities with noise, pollution and misery."

Airportwatch Scotland is linked to Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, a coalition of more than 30 environment, development, faith, community and other groups with at least 1.5 million supporters. The coalition's recently launched campaign for tougher action to cut the pollution that is disrupting the climate is being backed by the Sunday Herald.

Mike Robinson, who chairs Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, demanded to know why aviation was being treated differently from other industries.

"Every business sector is being asked to reduce carbon emissions by up to 80%, yet aviation is exempted," he said.

"Is it really more important to fly than to heat our homes and power our businesses? Flying is the action we take that has the highest impact, yet we fly at the drop of a hat and damn the consequences."

The Scottish government pointed out that it was proposing to include emissions from domestic flights in its climate change bill. But it highlighted the difficulties of including pollution from international flights.

Scottish ministers were working with the UK government to seek an international approach to reducing aviation emissions. "Such an approach would be required to resolve complications that arise in trying to allocate responsibility for emissions," said a Scottish government spokesman.