Add background section in report

[jimbou]

Add a background section in the report about the IEF what it is, who and why started it etc. base that on the link : https://github.com/Green-Software-Foundation/if-docs/blob/master/docs/02-background.md

[TelmaGudmunds]

First draft of background section:

There are many ways software can negatively impact the environment. The emission of greenhouse gases and the usage of water and energy are a few examples. The Green Software Foundation is a non-profit formed under the Linux Foundation. Their focus is to reduce software's negative impact, and they do so with the use of various projects.

One of those projects is the Impact Engine Framework (IEF). The project has transformed significantly during the existence of the Green Software Foundation. While developing the SCI (Software Carbon Intensity) Specification, which allows for calculating the rate of carbon emissions for a software system, they realised that the biggest problem was acquiring the data. As a result, they launched a project to create the data sets required. The project later evolved into the SCI Guide, which contains documentation about existing data sets and how to use them. The next phase is establishing formal standards and tooling so that software measurement can become a disciplined practice and mainstream activity. The SCI Specification serves as the standard, and the Impact Framework is the tooling.

[TomasKopunec]

I have attempted to improve the text to sound more concise.

Software's environmental impact is multifaceted, including greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, and energy consumption. To address these issues, the Green Software Foundation, a non-profit under the Linux Foundation, is dedicated to minimizing software's ecological footprint through various projects.

A key project of this foundation is the Impact Engine Framework (IEF), which has undergone substantial transformation since its inception. A notable development is the creation of the Software Carbon Intensity (SCI) Specification. This tool enables the quantification of a software system's carbon emissions. Initially, the challenge was in data acquisition, leading to the launch of a project focused on generating necessary data sets. This initiative eventually evolved into the SCI Guide, which provides comprehensive documentation on existing data sets and their application.

The current phase of the project aims to establish formal standards and tools, transforming software measurement into a disciplined and widespread practice. The SCI Specification is positioned as the fundamental standard, while the Impact Framework serves as the essential tooling component.

[TelmaGudmunds]

Version 2.

Software's environmental impact is multifaceted, including greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, and energy consumption. To address these issues, the Green Software Foundation, a non-profit under the Linux Foundation, is dedicated to reducing software's ecological footprint through various projects.

A key project of this foundation is the Impact Engine Framework (IEF), which has evolved throughout the Green Software Foundation's existence. A notable development is the creation of the Software Carbon Intensity (SCI) Specification, which defines a methodology for calculating a software system's total carbon emission. Initially, the challenge was data acquisition, leading to the launch of a project focused on generating necessary data sets. The team later realised that various existing data sources were available. They anticipated that the challenge would shift from sourcing data to selecting the appropriate data set for each use case. This initiative eventually evolved into the SCI Guide, which provides comprehensive documentation on existing data sets and their application.

The project's current phase aims to establish formal standards and tooling, transforming software measurement into a disciplined and widespread practice. The SCI Specification is positioned as the fundamental standard, while the Impact Framework serves as the essential tooling component.