Spark Climate Solutions (Spark) is an environmentalist organization supporting left-of-center climate change policies. It was founded in October 2021 with an initial focus on methane removal and methane reduction. It works with others in the climate change field on research and development, building a network of climate change scientists, funding environmentalist startups, and developing global policy and governance solutions.

Background

Spark Climate Solutions (Spark) was founded in October 2021 ¹ by climate scientist David Mann and engineer Erika Reinhardt, along with advisors Remi Bouteille and Cooper Rinzler, with support from Climate Pathfinders Foundation and the Primordium Foundation. ²

Spark’s focus is to support research that addresses atmospheric methane to minimize global warming and climate change. ³ The two initial areas Spark focused on were livestock enteric methane reductions (“cow burps”) and atmospheric methane removal. ⁴

Spark works with others in the climate change field to develop shared strategic roadmaps, build a scientific base of climate experts, and provide funding for research and climate change startups. In its first 6 months, Spark raised over $11 million and made grants to new research programs. ⁵ Grantees include several universities and research organizations to support research on methane reduction methods and Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development to support research on methane metrics design. ⁶

In February 2023, Methane Action merged into Spark Climate Solutions. Both organizations worked on emerging climate solutions for methane reduction and removal. Methane Action’s focus was on the global policies and governance needed to reduce current and future methane levels. The merger resulted in a broader scope for Spark including research and development, building a network of scientists, funding climate change startups, and developing global policy and governance solutions. ⁷

International Policy

With the merger of Methane Action in February 2023, Spark has incorporated global policy and governance into its overall focus. ⁸ Methane Action was active in providing testimony and comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ¹⁰ launched at COP26 in November 2021, an agreement to reduce global methane emissions at least 30 percent by 2030. ¹¹

Startup Funders

Spark was initially funded by Climate Pathfinders Foundation and the Primordium Foundation. ¹²

Climate Pathfinders foundation was an environmentalist grantmaking organization that is no longer active as of August 2022. It contributed to left-of-center climate groups such as Carbon180, ClimateWorks Foundation, and Clean Air Task Force. ¹³

The Primordium Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation focused on “mitigating climate change and supporting US democracy” managed by Spark co-founder Erika Reinhardt and Peter Reinhardt. ¹⁴ In addition to Spark Climate Solutions, grantees include left-of-center climate groups Carbon180, Evergreen Collaborative, and Clean Air Task Force as well as left-of-center policy think tank Third Way  and election support groups Center for Civic Design and the Elections Group. ¹⁵

Partners

Partners of Spark Climate Solutions include Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment, Quadrature Climate Foundation, Climate Pathfinders Foundation (no longer active as of August 2022), ¹⁶ the Primordium Foundation, Astera, Additional Ventures, and Bernard and Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust . ¹⁷

Leadership

Co-founder Erika Reinhardt is board director and leads Spark. She is a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) graduate with experience at several tech organizations. Most recently she co-led the election management services of U.S. Digital Response. ¹⁸

David Mann is co-founder and board director of Spark. ¹⁹ He has a PhD from Stanford University with most of his work experience focused on climate issues with Climate Pathfinders Foundation, the Climate Map, and Rocky Mountain Institute. ²⁰

Daphne Wysham is the head of policy engagement on methane removal at Spark Climate Solutions. She was CEO of Methane Action and joined Spark when it merged in February 2023. She is a fellow of the Climate Justice Program at the Center for Sustainable Economy ²¹ and a former editor of Greenpeace magazine. ²²

Remi Bouteille is co-founder and advisor to Spark. ²³ He is the CEO of environmentalist grantmaking organization Quadrature Climate Foundation and previously was a co-founder of Climate Pathfinders Foundation as well as a board member of the Climate Map, which merged with Rocky Mountain Institute. ²⁴

Cooper Rinzler is a founding advisor and board director of Spark. He is an entrepreneur, investor, and technologist involved in several climate change and energy start-ups. ²⁵

1. ^[1] LinkedIn – Erika (Bildsten) Reinhardt. Accessed May 4, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/embreinhardt/
2. ^[1] “About Us.” Spark Climate Solutions. Accessed May 4, 2023. https://www.sparkclimate.org/about-us
3. “Methane Removal.” Spark Climate Solutions. Accessed May 4, 2023. https://www.sparkclimate.org/methane-removal/home
4. “Why Methane Matters.” Canary Media podcast. January 3, 2023. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://www.canarymedia.com/podcasts/catalyst-with-shayle-kann/why-methane-matters
5. “Fireside Chat: Accelerating Emerging Climate Fields w/ Spark Climate Solutions.” Luma. November 15, 2022. Accessed May 4, 2023. https://lu.ma/sparkclimate
6. “Grantees.” Spark Climate Solutions – Methane Removal. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://www.sparkclimate.org/methane-removal/grantees
7. Merger Between Spark Climate Solutions and Methane Action Combines Two Leading Climate Actors in the Methane Removal Field.” Methane Action – News. February 16, 2023. Accessed May 4, 2023. https://methaneaction.org/merger-between-spark-climate-solutions-and-methane-action-combines-two-leading-climate-actors-in-the-methane-removal-field/
8. Merger Between Spark Climate Solutions and Methane Action Combines Two Leading Climate Actors in the Methane Removal Field.” Methane Action – News. February 16, 2023. Accessed May 4, 2023. https://methaneaction.org/merger-between-spark-climate-solutions-and-methane-action-combines-two-leading-climate-actors-in-the-methane-removal-field/
10. “Policy.” Methane Action. Accessed May 6, 2023. https://methaneaction.org/policy/[/note\] and actively supported global climate change efforts including the Global Methane Pledge ⁹ “About.” Methane Action. Accessed May 6, 2023. https://methaneaction.org/about/
11. “Fast action on methane to keep a 1.5°C future within reach.” Global Methane Pledge. Accessed May 6, 2023. https://www.globalmethanepledge.org/
12. “About Us.” Spark Climate Solutions. Accessed May 4, 2023. https://www.sparkclimate.org/about-us
13. Climate Pathfinders Foundation homepage. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://www.climatepathfinders.org/
14. The Primordium Foundation + Fund homepage. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://www.primordiumfoundation.org/
15. “Grantees.” Primordium Foundation + Fund. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://www.primordiumfoundation.org/grantees
16. Climate Pathfinders Foundation website. Accessed May 4, 2023. https://www.climatepathfinders.org/
17. “Partners.” Spark Climate Solutions. Accessed May 4, 2023. https://www.sparkclimate.org/
18. LinkedIn – Erika (Bildsten) Reinhardt. Accessed May 4, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/embreinhardt/
19. “About Us.” Spark Climate Solutions. Accessed May 4, 2023. https://www.sparkclimate.org/about-us
20. LinkedIn – David Mann. Accessed May 4, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmann1/
21. LinkedIn – Daphne Wysham. Accessed May 4, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/daphne-wysham-9476b6/
22. Daphne Wysham.” Methane Action – About – Our Team. Accessed May 5, 2023. https://methaneaction.org/team-members/chief-executive-officer/
23. “About Us.” Spark Climate Solutions. Accessed May 4, 2023. https://www.sparkclimate.org/about-us
24. LinkedIn – Remi Bouteille. Accessed May 4, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/remi-bouteille-45339615/details/experience/
25. ^[1] LinkedIn – Cooper Rinzler. Accessed May 4, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/cooperrinzler/