Governance Capability Evolution Framework (GCEF) v0.2: Foundation Specification (Research Baseline Edition)

Governance Capability Evolution Framework (GCEF) v0.2 establishes a canonical architectural baseline for governance capability across autonomous, agentic, and non-deterministic execution environments. Unlike conventional governance frameworks that primarily emphasize design-time controls or management processes, GCEF formalizes governance as a technology-agnostic architectural capability operating continuously during runtime. The framework introduces a 10-phase closed-loop Governance Capability Progression Model, a Runtime Governance Architecture with six intervention levels, Dynamic Evidence Architecture, Authority Continuity mechanisms, and the Governance Evolution Validation (GEV) process for controlled architectural evolution. This publication is released as the frozen Research Baseline Edition of the PHOENIX Governance Capability Research Programme. It provides the canonical architectural foundation for future empirical validation, domain-specific extensions, and international standardization activities. Keywords: Governance Capability, Runtime Governance, AI Governance, Dynamic Evidence, Authority Continuity, Autonomous Systems Governance, Technology Governance, Governance Evolution.