A series of CuO-ZnO-ZrO2 (CZZ) catalysts were synthesized by a glycine-nitrate combustion method and characterized by XRD, BET, N2O chemisorption, SEM and TPR techniques. The results show that the physicochemical properties of the catalysts are strongly influenced by the fuel content used in the combustion process. The dispersion of CuO exhibits an inverse-volcano variation trend with an increase in the glycine amount from 50% to 150% of the stoichiometry. The relationship between physiochemical properties and the fuel content is discussed in detail in terms of combustion temperature. The catalytic performance for the synthesis of methanol from CO2 hydrogenation was examined. The CZZ catalyst exhibits an optimum catalytic activity when 50% of stoichiometric amount of glycine was used. The turnover frequency has been calculated for various CZZ catalysts, and it reveals that the catalytic activities depend not only on the surface area of metallic copper but also on the phase state of ZrO2. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.