Volatile　organic　compounds　(VOCs),　methane,　carbon　monoxide,　soot,　automotive　exhaust,　and　nitrogen　oxides　are　harmful　to　the　atmosphere　and　human　health.　It　is　urgent　to　strictly　control　their　emissions.　Heterogeneous　catalysis　is　an　effective　pathway　for　the　removal　of　these　pollutants,　and　the　critical　issue　is　the　development　of　novel　and　high-performance　catalysts.　In　this　review,　we　briefly　summarize　the　preparation　methods,　physicochemical　properties,　catalytic　activities,　and　related　reaction　mechanisms　for　the　above　pollutants　removal　of　the　rare　earth　oxides,　mixed　rare　earth　oxide,　rare　earth　oxide-supported　noble　metal,　and　mixed　rare　earth　oxide-supported　noble　metal　catalysts　that　have　been　investigated　by　our　group　and　other　researchers.　It　was　found　that　catalytic　performance　was　associated　with　the　factors,　such　as　specific　surface　area,　pore　structure,　particle　size　and　dispersion,　adsorbed　oxygen　species　concentration,　reducibility,　reactant　activation　ability　or　interaction　between　metal　nanoparticles　and　support.　Furthermore,　we　also　envision　the　development　trend　of　such　a　topic　in　future　work.　(C)　2020　Chinese　Society　of　Rare　Earths.　Published　by　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.