The invention discloses a 
copper based catalyst used for hydrogenating 
carbon dioxide to synthesize 
methanol, and a preparation method and an application thereof. The preparation method of the catalyst comprises the following steps: 1, 
processing a 
zinc salt, an aluminum salt, a 
zirconium salt and a stabilizer to prepare a first solution, or 
processing the 
zinc salt, the aluminum salt and the 
zirconium salt to prepare a second solution; 2, 
processing carbonate and 
hydroxide to prepare a third solution; 3, processing a 
copper salt to prepare a fourth solution; 4, processing the first solution and the third solution to form a first 
precipitation solution, or processing the second solution and the third solution to form a second 
precipitation solution; 5, adding the fourth solution to the first 
precipitation solution to form a third precipitation solution or adding the fourth solution to the second precipitation solution to form a fourth precipitation solution, 
ageing after Cu in the precipitation solution precipitates, and washing; and 6, 
drying, and calcining. The catalyst contains 30-50% of Cu, 20-40% of Zn, 10-20% of Al, and 5-20% of Zr. The catalyst is used for a reaction for hydrogenating 
carbon dioxide to synthesize 
methanol.