Activated carbon prepared from cocoa pod husk, which is an abundant agricultural waste, was employed as a green support for palladium oxidation catalysts. Systematic characterization of the support and palladium catalysts by atomic emission spectroscopy, N 2 and CO 2 physisorption measurements, X-ray powder diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, electron microscopy, temperature-programmed reduction by hydrogen, and temperature-programmed desorption of NH 3 and CO 2 allowed detailed monitoring of their characteristics. Subsequently, the catalytic performance and selectivity in the oxidation of ethanol as a model volatile organic compound (VOC) was studied and linked to physicochemical properties of the catalysts.