The history of tobacco has been repeated with the oil industry
Letter from Europe: Tobacco offers warning for oil
Moving on from burning fossil fuels for energy will not be easy, but it is ultimately a habit the world will need to kick
In some ways it may be churlish to draw parallels between the tobacco industry and the oil sector. After all, oil was one of the wonders of the 20th century. It is probably the most useful resource that we have ever discovered. The energy that oil contains, the ease with which it can be transported and its versatility are astonishing. But the plight of the tobacco industry offers an important lesson for oil industry executives: whataboutery and a strong PR campaign only go so far. Making good on the pledges at COP28 will be the oil industry’s moment of truth. The tobacco industry knew smoking was detrimental to human health from the early 1950s. As the scientific knowledge improved, the bigg
Also in this section
23 May 2025
LNG projects need the certainty of long-term contracts, but Henry-Hub–linked deals put buyers at significant risk
22 May 2025
Industry says compliance is near-impossible and have called for more clarity to prevent cargoes being redirected
22 May 2025
The next energy crisis could come from the severing of the link between oil and gas prices, with potentially severe economic consequences
22 May 2025
With contract awards looming on the Kuwait-Saudi backed Dorra field, the long-stalled gas project appears finally to be gaining traction—despite Iranian objections
