A series of alkali metal- and alkaline earth metal-doped cobalt-cerium composite oxide catalysts were prepared by the citrate method and tested for the decomposition of N20. Strong promotion effects of alkali and alkaline earth metals on the activity of the catalyst were obtained in the order Li < Na < K < Rb < Cs and Mg < Ca < Sr, Ba. The promotion effects of alkaline earth metals were much weaker than the effects of alkali metals. To investigate the origin of the promotion effect, X-ray diffraction, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area measurement X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, temperature-programmed desorption, and hydrogen temperature-programmed reduction methods were used to characterize the alkali metal-doped catalyst. The analytical results indicated that alkali metals improved the redox ability of active site Co2+ by acting as electronic promoters. Catalytic decomposition of N2O proceeds through an oxidation-reduction mechanism with participation of electrons from Co2+, thus the increase in the redox ability of Co2+ should lead to an increase in the activity of the catalyst.