"The best way to curb emissions IMHO is not by internalizing their costs, but by capping consumption before they emit (prevention)."

And if the majority people want to do this, what is stopping them from doing it? Why would say 50% of population be disadvantaged in any way if they decide to "curb" their consumption, and at same time as the other half of population do not to curb their consumption.
Do you imagine that most citizens simply are unaware? Would 100 million dollar ad campaign have a significant reduction is this consumption?
But haven't we already had this campaign- high oil prices are big headlines. People filling up their cars probably have noticed the higher gasoline prices. So is it really a matter of awareness?

Personally I want to be spared from a govt which forces me to do what I don't want to do. But I think that rules restricting govt employees would a better choice than restrictions on private citizens. So how about a program to reduce the consumption of govt employees gasoline comsumption. And btw why didn't Mr Gore [Mr tree fucker himself] impose this on govt employees? There is no need of congress passing laws, you could simply write a executive directive. It's easy to enforce- you simply fire anyone not following these rules. How much should these govt employees consumption be curbed, 50%? I could favor this. Though a 99% reduction would be fine by me.

So you take say Dept of Transportation track how much gasoline is used by all people working as govt employee- and those getting any money for the dept. Demand a 50% [or 99% if you like] reduction in next 6 months. You do this with all federal departments, plus you extend to all the state govts which receiving federal funds.
Now the personal comsumption of gasoline of govt employees would harder to track, so you might delay this aspect in the beginning and just focus on the gasoline bills which federal govt directly pays for. Later say, a year or two, you can focus on their personal comsumption.

Of course, you also have include other types of comsumption- kerosene used for airlines trips, natural gas engines, and other CO2 emitting transportation. And of course, we could reduce the air conditioning in all govt building- in areas in which the electricity power isn't mostly provided by nuclear energy. And of course heating too.

Now like a said this is easily done, but you need a President who is willing to make a executive directive ordering this. And of course the Congress wouldn't have anyway stopping this- as the President runs the executive branch.
But you have to ask yourself why Mr Woody in his 8 years couldn't or wouldn't convince Clinton to do this? There is no excuse about Gore not knowing about global warming and it's supposed seriousness.