His research explores the potentials and limitations of environmental policy and planning in the perspective of adaptive governance and sustainability. Particular attention is given to topics like policy implementation and integration, multi-level governance, place-making and place branding processes, participatory approaches and the performance of legal institutions. He has published widely on these issues, drawing on numerous empirical studies and different theoretical perspectives. He is co-founder of Evolutionary Governance Theory, a novel framework for analysing and explaining the dynamics and patterns of change and innovation in governance.