Sustainable development plays a decisive role in achieving the Chinese government's goal of "carbon peaking and carbon neutrality". Taking panel data from 31 provinces in China from 2003-2021, we constructed a fixed-effects econometric model to study the effect of environmental regulation (ER) on environmental equity (EE). The link between ER and EE was explored. The results show that the ER indeed has a beneficial effect on EE and exhibits significant regional and individual characteristics heterogeneity. Particularly, the effect of ER on EE is stronger in Chinese eastern and middle regions and in provinces with lower incomes, higher tax costs, and higher innovation levels. In addition, mechanism analysis reveals that the favorable effect of ER on EE is affected in three ways: government greening services, energy industrial investment, and public environmental attention. Finally, our findings provide an important decision-making reference for advancing the development of ecological civilization and implementing the new development philosophy of a green economy.