South West Partnership for Environment and Economic Prosperity (SWEEP)
1 January 2017 – 31 December 2021
| Awarded to: | Professor Ian Bateman |
| Partners: | University of Plymouth, Plymouth Marine Laboratory |
| Funding awarded to Exeter: | £5m |
| Sponsor: | NERC (Regional Impact from Science of the Environment) |
| Website: | sweep.ac.uk |
The South West Partnership for Environmental and Economic Prosperity (SWEEP) was a highly successful and impactful research-focused partnership, between 2017-2023. The SWEEP approach applies environmental research to bring natural capital into the heart of decision making, to benefit the environment, society and economy: an exemplar of best practice in the South West of the UK.
SWEEP is the result of a collaboration between three research institutions - the University of Exeter, the University of Plymouth and Plymouth Marine Laboratory – working together with a large group (300+) of highly engaged business, policy and community partners.
Through SWEEP, a holistic, systems-based approach has been implemented, primarily across the South West region of the UK; Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. This approach was adopted across a wide range of Natural Capital sectors and environments.
SWEEP has transformed environment-led decision making in the South West region and beyond; supporting decision-makers to adopt a Natural Capital Approach to investments and policy through the development of bespoke guidance, decision support and mapping tools. Ultimately, this enables a more resilient and enhanced natural environment, producing gains for business, government, and society.
