This Photon series of conferences has grown so much in stature that is the largest meeting on this topic in the UK an the fourth largest in the world. The series has been designed to display the UK as highly visible player in the optics and photonics field. The sequence of meetings described below establishes cooperation and increases efficiency by stimulating interactions right across the European sector and beyond. In an exciting way Photon06 will continue to support the exploitation and dissemination of results and strategies developed with the academic sector and industries. It will make a major contribution to the development of a common long-term shared vision, create synergies and strengthen the whole community. Optics and photonics play a decisive role in highly competitive markets. There are many leading players in the UK academic and the industrial/business sectors giving rise to an impressive critical mass to demonstrate that this area is of pivotal importance to the UK and to Europe. By staging Photon08 we will be building not only upon Photon02, 04 and 06 but we will be creating a platform in photonics that will serve all aspects of UK society. The role of photonics in the new drive to address climate change and energy conservation is critical. Carbon footprints can be measured very easily with laser technology and nanostructured solar panels deploying matamaterials will be rapidly developed and the UK position in this area will be considerably enhanced by this meeting.