The　Co　catalyst　using　hydrotalcite-derived　Mg(Al)O　as　support　shows　promising　catalytic　activity　for　low-temperature　CH4-CO2　reforming.　Under　a　wide　range　of　reaction　conditions,　that　is　T　=　773–1023　K,　CH4/CO2/N2　=　25/25/50–50/25/25,　WHSV　=　60,000–120,000　mL　h−1　g−1,　and　TOS　=　25–200　h,　the　Co　catalyst　exhibits　stable　activity　and　high　coke　resistance.　The　performance　is　superior　to　the　Ni　counterpart　which　readily　deactivates　at　773　K　due　to　severe　coke　deposition.　The　initial　coking　rate　on　the　Co　catalyst　was　estimated　to　be　about　1/20　times　that　on　the　Ni　catalyst.　The　kinetic　study　suggests　that　the　dissociative　adsorption　of　CH4　is　favored　on　the　Ni　catalyst,　whereas　the　Co　catalyst　has　high　affinity　for　CO2　adsorption.　The　results　of　CH4-TPSR　and　direct　CH4　decomposition　experiments　further　reveal　that　the　Co　catalyst　is　much　less　active　for　carbon　formation　through　CH4　decomposition.　It　is　deduced　that　a　combination　of　lower　activity　for　CH4　dissociation/decomposition　and　higher　affinity　for　CO2　adsorption　as　well　as　a　stronger　metal-support　interaction　is　responsible　for　the　higher　coke　resistance　of　the　Co　catalyst.　©　2018　Elsevier　B.V.