Allow me to start this column by stating that I’m not a smoker and I detest cigarettes. I used to smoke Middle Eastern sheesha also known as Nargile before quitting more than a decade ago. I think that’s the best thing I ever did in the last decade.

I don't want to drive a combustion-engine vehicle, but I didn’t have good alternatives to choose from. In Saudi Arabia, we have very few hybrids and I don’t believe in electrical vehicles anyway as I think they will still consume a lot of power and that power will come from fossil fuel one way or another.

To me, those who love EVs are no different than those who like e-cigarettes. The harm is there but to a varying degree and it’s minimized.

Interestingly, there is a huge resemblance between the reality of the tobacco and oil industry. Both are big industries and they have established customers. They both face the same pressure from the scientific community based on scientific studies related to their impact on human well-being.

Ironically, these two industries are facing internal and external pressure to transform and they are doing that as we speak.

Let’s take the example of Philip Morris International (PMI) from the tobacco industry and ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, or Saudi Aramco from the oil industry.

I’m sure that many believe that PMI (products) is a source of public health risk and there are studies to prove that. Fine. 

Oil companies are viewed in the same way by environmentalists and activists and I’m sure that Greta Thunberg’s views on oil companies aren’t different from the views of many on tobacco makers.

The reality, however, is different. 

People aren’t forced to smoke in the same way I’m not forced to drive my traditional car. 

We had choices even though we don’t have plenty of alternatives today. 

Another reality is that these companies employ a lot of people and they are needed one way or another as they provide commodities that people are happy with.

So what’s the proper course of action? Should we call for their demise or should pressure them to transform into something else? I guess the logical thing to do is aid their transformation as they are aware about the need to do that.

PMI is doing that with its move into smoke-free products as it believes that burning tobacco is the root of all health risks.

On the other hand, some oil companies are shifting to electrification and they are building their strategy on providing power to fuel the world with less fossil fuel. Fair enough.

Others are trying to move toward cleaner fuels such as natural gas or invest in alternatives. But we all must understand that these changes can’t happen overnight and these companies need fundings to transform.

It will take years for companies to shift into something new and years for customers to stop using their traditional products.

I can’t believe that ethanol fuel is going to be cheap or it will have a greater (positive) impact on the world’s food sector.

As long as all these companies are trying their best to invest in future products that will save our health and the environment, I think we are on the right path. 

If tobacco’s harm can be reduced by 95 percent and combustion engines are designed to consume less and less fuel, then we are on the right path.

I would be against all these companies if they aren’t doing anything. 

Eliminating tobacco products isn’t going to be easy and phasing out fossil fuel completely isn’t even possible.

Let’s all remember that 20 years ago, oil companies didn’t subscribe to climate change and tobacco makers didn’t think about alternatives.

As PMI is turning into a science and research-based company, oil companies are becoming energy companies. Everyone is trying to transform because they have no other option but that, and they have to serve the new breed of consumers better and respect nature.

Those who say that we don’t have time to allow for these transformations, I think they need to focus their efforts on providing realistic solutions. 

• Wael Mahdi is senior business editor at Arab News and co-author of “OPEC in a shale oil world: where to next?” 

Twitter: @waelmahdi