I agree that we need regulation. We need to force the majority not to freeload on the efforts of others. That's what regulation will achieve. But that being said, regulation will work because it will get more people to do the things you say will not work. If everyone voluntarily used less resources -- ate less meat, bought less virgin plastic, drove smaller cars less often for shorter distances, etc. -- that would produce the effect of regulation.

There are things we can do as individuals, but we need all the other individuals in the high-consumption parts of the world also to do these things.

One drop of rain doesn't carve a river but water does carve rivers.