Faradaic efficiencies and current-voltage characteristics for the reduction of CO2 on various conductive oxide mixtures (RuO2, TiO2, MoO2) CO3O4, Rh2O3) were determined. Product analysis was performed by gas chromatography. Electrodes composed of RuO3 + TiO2 [35 + 65 mole percent (m/o)] and RuO2 + CO3O4 + SnO2 + TiO2(20 + 10 + 8 + 62 m/o) show high current efficiencies for methanol production when polarized near the equilibrium potential of hydrogen evolution in solutions of 0.2M Na2SO4 (pH = 4) saturated with CO2. It can be concluded from the Tafel slopes that the first electron transfer is the rate-limiting step in the reduction of CO2 on the investigated oxides in acidic media. © 1990, The Electrochemical Society, Inc. All rights reserved.