The Guardian has attacked the Wellcome Trust and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation over the charities' investments in fossil fuels.

It has launched an online petition, which has been signed by more than 93,000 people, calling on the two organisations to divest from fossil fuels.

“Your organisations have made a huge contribution to human progress and equality by supporting scientific research and development projects. Yet your investments in fossil fuels are putting this progress at great risk, by undermining your long term ambitions,” the petition said.

The newspaper wants the charities to commit to divesting from the top 200 fossil fuel companies within five years, and to freeze any new investments in these companies.

The Wellcome Trust's direct equity holdings include Shell and BP, which have a combined value of £260m. 

In a statement the Wellcome Trust said: “Environmental change, including climate change, is one of the greatest contemporary challenges facing our society, and we have made understanding the connections between environment, nutrition and health one of our five key research challenges.

“This is a highly complex issue which we take seriously in our decisions and on which we engage with policy-makers, researchers and the businesses in which we invest.”

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has made no public comment. 

• In the March issue of Charity Finance Danny Truell described the Wellcome Trust’s investment strategy, online subscribers can read it here. Find out more about subscribing to the magazine.