Catalytic valorization of CO2 by hydrogenation: current status and future trends

Terrestrial environmental and biological systems are being threatened by the tremendous amount of human carbon dioxide emissions. Therefore, it is crucial to develop a sustainable energy system based on CO2 as chemical feedstock. In this review, an introduction to the CO2 activation and transformation has been made, together with a more comprehensive study of the catalytical reduction of CO2 to methane, methanol, and formic acid, which are currently contemplated as chemical feedstocks and/or promising energy carriers and alternative fuels.