Ethylene is one of the most widely used chemical compounds. It is readily transformed to a variety of useful products that can replace those derived from fossil sources. Further, the ability to produce ethylene from atmospheric carbon dioxide would significantly assist in the urgent need to stabilize, and ultimately to reduce, the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This review covers the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide at copper‐based cathodes. The direct production of ethylene is the focus of the review, but it is also relevant to include the important ethylene precursor and intermediate in the carbon dioxide reduction reaction, carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide can be reduced to ethylene on a copper cathode under similar conditions to carbon dioxide. Ethanol is another potential product of the reduction of carbon dioxide at a copper cathode. It can be readily dehydrated to ethylene, further enhancing the overall yield of ethylene. The aim of the review is to show that there are many interacting parameters that influence the effectiveness and efficiency of the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide at copper‐based cathodes.