The South West Partnership for Environmental and Economic Prosperity (SWEEP)
The South West Partnership for Environmental and Economic Prosperity (SWEEP) is a partnership project that will help deliver economic and community benefits to the South West, whilst protecting and enhancing the area’s natural resources.
Funded by the Natural Environment Research Council’s (NERC) Regional Impact from Science of the Environment programme for five years, SWEEP will bring academic experts, businesses and policy makers together to solve some of the challenges involved in managing, utilising and improving the natural environment.
SWEEP is a collaboration of three research institutions: the University of Exeter, Plymouth Marine Laboratory and the University of Plymouth – working together with a large group of highly engaged business, policy and community partners.
SWEEP aims to generate benefits or avoid costs for businesses, policymakers or communities across five broad areas – our ‘Impact Themes’. Underpinning all SWEEP work is the aim to address the long-term decline in the natural capital on which our economic growth, well-being and prosperity depend.
How we will achieve our aims
Impact Projects: Co-designed and delivered with partners from the business, policy or community sectors, SWEEP academics and team members will deliver a diverse set of projects to realise environmental, economic and/or community benefits in the region. Projects may be for any length of time, but will typically last around eighteen months.
Impact Fellows: A team of ‘Impact Fellows’ will be central to delivering the Impact Projects. They will act as the conduit between the academics and partners, to translate and apply knowledge, solutions and tools.
Tools: SWEEP will harness new technology and research to create practical solutions for partners working with the natural environment.
Impact themes
- Safeguarding natural capital to increase resilience
- Integrated policymaking for natural capital-led growth
- Restoring natural capital for economic and social benefit
- Boosting the business sector: new markets for natural capital
- Adding value: mainstreaming natural capital in the private and public sector
For more information please visit the SWEEP website.
Impact Projects
SWEEP is currently delivering 13 Impact Projects, all of which are delivered collaboratively by inter-disciplinary teams from across the three key partners, with major contributions from members of the LEEP team.