This invention disclosed a method for producing 1,2-propylene glycol from bio-based glycerol. In this method, a CuO--CeO.sub.2--SiO.sub.2 catalyst is filled into a fixed bed reactor, a glycerol solution is flowed into the reactor together with hydrogen gas in a manner of top feeding, and controlling the reaction temperature to be 170.about.200.degree. C., the reaction pressure to be 1.0.about.5.0 MPa, so as to realize the production of 1,2-propylene glycol from the hydrogenation of glycerol. The catalyst used in this invention can sustain a high selectivity for the target product and a high conversion for glycerol for 500 hours.