Alkali　metal　promoted　Zn/SSZ-13　catalysts　were　investigated　for　ethane　dehydrogenation　(EDH)　and　CO2-assisted　oxidative　ethane　dehydrogenation　(CO2-EDH).　The　Zn/Na/K/SSZ-13　demonstrated　enhanced　ethane　dehydrogenation　performance,　achieving　0.381　mol　C2H4　gZn-1　h-1　with　a　low　deactivation　rate　constant　of　(kd)　of　0.04　h-1　in　the　CO2-EDH　process　after　440　min　time　on　stream,　compared　to　the　unmodified　Zn/SSZ-13　catalyst.　Comprehensive　characterizations　revealed　that　the　isolated　Zn2+　species　serve　as　the　active　sites　for　dehydrogenation,　while　the　addition　of　alkali　metals　compensate　the　acid　sites　of　SSZ-13,　effectively　suppressing　the　side　reactions　such　as　cracking.　Moreover,　the　introduction　of　CO2　mitigates　Zn　loss　and　enhances　catalyst　activity　and　stability　by　coupling　with　the　reverse　water　gas　shift　reaction　(RWGS),　which　also　suppress　the　coke　deposition.　Investigation　of　vary　CO2　content　indicated　that　higher　CO2　concentrations　significantly　suppress　Zn　loss　and　increase　the　proportion　of　the　RWGS　reaction,　thereby　improving　CO2-EDH　catalytic　performance.　This　work　elucidates　the　active　phase　of　ethane　dehydrogenation　and　highlights　the　role　of　alkali　metals　and　CO2　in　the　CO2-EDH　process　over　Zn/Na/K/SSZ-13,　providing　valuable　insights　for　designing　high-performance　CO2-EDH　catalysts.　©　2025　Elsevier　B.V.