Does Environmental Information Disclosure Reduce PM2.5 Emissions? Evidence from Chinese Prefecture-Level Cities

As an important means of regulating pollution emissions, environmental regulation is crucial for reducing urban PM2.5. However, previous studies have mainly focused on the emission reduction effect of formal environmental regulations and neglected the role played by informal environmental regulations represented by environmental information disclosure. We employed a multiperiod difference-in-differences (DID) model to assess the effectiveness of EID policies in mitigating PM2.5 emissions and to investigate their abatement mechanism by focusing on green innovation and industrial structure. The findings indicate that the implementation of EID policies significantly reduces PM2.5 emissions. Mechanism tests reveal that EID promotes PM2.5 reductions by fostering green innovation and upgrading industrial structure. In addition, the impact of EID policy is more marked in resource-based cities and those located in interior regions. This study contributes to the reduction in urban haze emissions in China, offering empirical evidence and policy recommendations for the further implementation of environmental information disclosure.