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.

The climate and biodiversity crises, combined with the need to address social inequality, mean we have to grasp and embrace new, integrated ways of working that enable a more resilient and enhanced natural environment, producing gains for business, government and society.

SWEEP has delivered a proven approach showing how strategic funding of such integrated actions can unlock the value of research to society, at scale.

Professor Ian Bateman OBE, SWEEP Director

SWEEP in Numbers

159
Tools and services
created
325
Partners
in government, business and civil society
2,464
People
trained in the use of SWEEP tools
304
km2
Seabed protected
84
km2
Pollinator habitat created
3,626
km2
Natural space designed for health and wellbeing
£115
million
Partner investments influenced
£25
million
Cost savings to business and the public purse
£78
million
Funding leveraged
£35
million GVA
from funding leveraged (to 2028)
327
Jobs
supported by funding leveraged (to 2028)
38
Regulations
policies and legislation influenced or informed

SWEEP delivered benefits across the South West, to the rest of the UK and beyond, paving the way to unlock the value of environmental research to society, at scale.

Featured SWEEP Tools


Impact Map