<p>This paper examines the effect of environmental information disclosure on local governments’ environmental attention. Using the gradual implementation of PM2.5 pollution monitoring and public disclosure policies starting in 2013 as a quasi-natural experiment, we construct a panel dataset of 199 prefecture-level cities in China spanning the years 2006 to 2018. A multi-period difference-in-differences (DID) approach is employed to identify the causal impacts. The empirical results indicate that the disclosure of environmental information significantly enhances the degree of local governments’ environmental attention. Moreover, this effect exhibits a sustained, long-term nature. In terms of underlying mechanisms, the observed increase in environmental attention is primarily attributable to a “pressure effect” triggered by the elimination of information asymmetry. This effect compels local governments to respond more proactively to environmental issues. However, the strength of this pressure is found to depend more on the level of environmental concern exhibited by higher-level governments than on public demands. By offering a novel perspective on the environmental governance implications of information transparency, this study contributes to the understanding of how institutional arrangements shape local environmental behavior. The findings also offer valuable policy implications for enhancing environmental awareness and accountability at the local government level.</p>