The unsubstantiated claim has resurfaced in recent months as pressure has grown for the UK to embrace the controversial gas extraction technique.

Michael Hintze, an Australian hedge fund manager, will join several other climate sceptics in the House of Lords.

Businessman John Mappin, who has called Russia’s attack on Ukraine a “gift” to the world, is a vocal ally of fringe anti-net zero group CAR26.

A spokesperson for the British Retail Consortium said the phase-out of Russian oil could not "happen all at once".

The petition was backed by former Brexit Party MEP Lance Forman and conservative commentator Darren Grimes.

Santander, Boots, BMW and Centrica also feature among the top 20 UK pension plans without carbon neutral goals.

Blue Sky Strategy, run by anti-BBC campaigner Rebecca Ryan, was listed on the website of a group whose founder calls climate change a “con”.

Analysis last year by DeSmog found numerous ties between directors of the British bank and polluting companies.

Alan McCormick has tweeted articles questioning climate science and chairs a foundation that has received funding from fossil fuel interests.

Boris Johnson and Gautam Adani also met last year ahead of the COP26 climate summit, at which the UK pushed for a global phase-out of coal-fired power.