The man he is replacing - Sir John Beddington - had to provide advice on Japan's Fukushima nuclear accident, Iceland's volcanic ash eruption and the spread of Ash dieback.
Match referee Steve Bennett, who had been due to officiate the derby game, will miss the match after becoming stranded abroad following travel disruption caused by a volcaniceruption in Iceland.
England, one of eight teams yet to travel to the Caribbean for the 12-team tournament, could have flown from Dubai, if their scheduled flight from London had remained grounded because of the volcanic ash cloud produced by an eruption in Iceland.
The problem is being caused by a continuing eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in southern Iceland, which is pumping volcanic ash high into the atmosphere.