The　increasing　greenhouse　gas　CO2　emission　poses　a　potential　threat　to　global　climate.　Electrochemical　reduction　of　CO2　(CO2RR)　to　useful　chemical　products,　an　artificial　way　of　carbon　recycling,　opens　up　new　possibilities　of　utilization　of　CO2　and　represents　one　promising　solution　that　significantly　improve　the　environment　and　promotes　sustainable　development.　However,　it　remains　a　challenge　to　convert　CO2　to　valued　products　with　high　efficiency　and　selectivity　while　suppressing　the　H2　evolution(HER)　side　reaction.　Copper　attracts　considerable　attention　currently　because　it　displays　interesting　electrocatalytic　performances　for　the　reduction　of　CO2.　Progress　related　to　the　electrocatalytic　reduction　of　CO2　in　the　past　few　years,　and　their　advantages　and　disadvantages　are　reviewed,　and　thermodynamics　and　kinetics　research　of　CO2RR　is　described,　with　a　focus　on　the　progress　in　CO2RR　on　copper-based　electrodes,　which　includes　Cu　electrode,　Cu　metal-organic　frameworks　electrode　and　Cu-based　electrodes　modified　by　oxidation,　alloying,　nanocrystalization　and　surface　modification,　even　if　the　CO2　electrocatalytic　reduction　reaction　mechanism　remains　uncertain.　Finally,　challenges　and　future　research　opportunities　for　tuning　the　selective　conversion　of　CO2　on　copper-based　catalysts　with　high　efficiency　are　also　discussed.　©　2018,　Editorial　Office　of　Progress　in　Chemistry.　All　right　reserved.