Cu　2　O-RGO/BiVO　4　nanocomposite　was　obtained　via　a　thermal　treatment　of　Cu　precursor　in　the　presence　of　the　pre-obtained　RGO/BiVO　4　.　The　product　was　fully　characterized　by　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM),　transmission　electron　microscopy　(TEM),　high-resolution　transmission　electron　microscopy　(HRTEM)　and　UV–vis　diffuse　reflectance　spectroscopy　(DRS).　It　was　found　that　olive-shaped　BiVO　4　of　ca.　1.0–1.2　μm　as　well　as　small　nanoparticles　of　Cu　2　O　with　a　dimension　of　40–50　nm　were　deposited　on　the　surface　of　RGO.　The　as-formed　Cu　2　O-RGO/BiVO　4　nanocomposite　exhibited　superior　photocatalytic　activity　for　simultaneous　CO　2　reduction　and　benzyl　alcohol　oxidation　under　visible-light　irradiation,　as　compared　with　bare　Cu　2　O　and　RGO/BiVO　4　nanocomposite.　The　superior　photocatalytic　performance　observed　over　Cu　2　O-RGO/BiVO　4　nanocomposite　may　be　ascribed　to　the　existence　of　the　Z-Scheme　charge　transfer　pathway　in　the　nanocomposite,　i.e.,　the　photogenerated　electrons　transferred　from　BiVO　4　to　Cu　2　O　to　recombine　with　the　photogenerated　holes　via　RGO　acting　as　a　good　electron　mediator.　The　study　demonstrates　a　high　potential　of　using　RGO　to　fabricate　Z-Scheme　photocatalytic　systems　for　a　variety　of　photocatalytic　applications.　©　2019　Elsevier　B.V.