The hydrogenation of CO2 into value-added chemicals is one of the most investigated methods to reduce CO2 emissions in the atmosphere and thereby contributes to a sustainable chemical industry. Whereas the catalytic hydrogenation of CO2 into methanol and synthetic hydrocarbons is well established, the effective and selective transformation of CO2 into higher alcohols is still challenging. Here, we show that Pd single atoms anchored on the surface of Fe3O4 are very active for the hydrogenation of CO2 to ethanol at 300 8C, even at atmospheric pressure. By comparing various Pd/MOx catalysts, we conclude that the metal–oxide interface has a strong influence on catalytic behavior.