Conversion of CO2 into methanol by catalytic hydrogenation has been recognised as one of the most promising processes for stabilising the atmospheric CO2 level, and furthermore the methanol produced could be used as fuel or basic chemical for satisfying the large demand world-wide. The purpose of this study is to investigate the possibility to increase CO2 conversion into methanol with respect to a traditional catalytic system. A zeolite membrane reactor (MR), able to combine catalytic reaction with separation properties of zeolite membranes, is considered. A comparison among results of this work and literature data for both the membrane reactor and the traditional one in terms of CO2 conversion, methanol selectivity and methanol yield, at feed ratio H-2/CO2 = 3 and 7, shows that using a zeolite membrane reactor it is possible to obtain higher conversion of CO2 and both higher methanol selectivity and methanol yield with respect to a traditional reactor (TR). (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.