ANZ Banking Group, Commonwealth Bank of Australia and National Australia Bank have a "material exposure" to companies linked with fossil fuel extraction whose businesses could be impacted by limits to emissions, says a report by ACCR, a Canberra-based lobby group on shareholder empowerment.

ACCR, which was established less than two years ago, is seeking meetings with proxy advisers and the large superannuation funds to discuss its report, which will be launched at NSW Trade & Investment on Tuesday morning, ahead of the banks AGMs later in the year.

The lobby group has already succeeded in creating an agenda item for the CBA AGM in Melbourne on November 12 seeking the public disclosure of financed emissions. In the notice of meeting filed with the ASX on October 2, the CBA board said it recommended voting against the proposal, saying it was "not possible" for the bank to obtain information from clients on their carbon emissions because many clients don't currently capture them, and pointing to a range of environmental initiatives.

ACCR has also requisitioned ANZ and NAB to consider a similar resolution.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has heaped scorn on the Australian National University for its decision to blacklist a number of resources firms from its investment portfolio.

"I think this is a bit of unnecessary posturing, frankly," he said.

"The important thing for investors is to look for good returns and Australian resource companies, including oil and gas companies, have traditionally had excellent returns.

"Frankly, I think that that kind of decision lets down the people who want these investors, who want these organisations, to get the best possible return."

NAB told the ASX on Monday its notice of meeting for its AGM on December 18 would provide the board's position on the ACCR resolution. NAB also pointed to various environmental initiatives and approach to the reporting of climate exposure, but said it "will continue to explore opportunities to provide appropriate disclosure in relation to our lending portfolio exposures".

ACCR's report finds Westpac Banking Corp may not be materially exposed to the carbon sector.

The big four banks assisted in the research, which was conducted by economist Howard Pender, a co-funder of Australian Ethical Investment.

Similar requests have been made of overseas banks. Bank of America faced pressure in April from shareholders in the US to disclose its financing of the fossil fuel industry, with 50 of its institutional investors with combined assets under management of almost $35 billion supporting disclosure.

The influence of institutional investors on climate policy is in the spotlight following Australian National University's blacklist of Santos and six other resources companies for failing a responsible investing test.

ACCR's report was conducted in partnership with the Asset Owners Disclosure Project chaired by John Hewson, the former leader of the federal Liberal Party and former director of Macquarie Bank.

"If you are a carbon-exposed company looking to borrow money in the hope that climate change goes away, then you'll head straight to CBA and ANZ as they seem happy to take extraordinary gamble on a high carbon future for these companies. I pity their shareholders when the music stops," Dr Hewson said.

"Shareholders in banks, particularly Australian super funds now have a great opportunity to turn up at the AGM and request much more detailed information on these exposures."

Dr Hewson will appear on a panel on Tuesday morning at the report's launch, along with Richard Denniss, executive director at the Australian Institute.

ACCR says it is a secular group but has been working closely with the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change, and it has been influenced by the Interfaith Centre on Corporate Responsibility in the US, which was the driver of the action against Bank of America.