The number of people employed in green jobs in the UK jumped by almost 20% from 2020 to 2022, according to experimental figures from the Office for National Statistic (ONS).

The data, released on Thursday, suggested that UK employment in green jobs in 2022 was estimated at 639,400 full-time equivalents (FTE) based on jobs in “green” industries.

It shows an 8.4% increase compared to the ONS estimate of 589,600 FTE employees in 2021, and a 19.9% increase compared to its estimate of 533,200 for 2020.

The official statistics body defined green jobs as “employment in an activity that contributes to protecting or restoring the environment, including those that mitigate or adapt to climate change”.

The ONS calculated employment estimates of jobs in green industries based on a number of “green activities”.

These included environmental charities, environmental consultancy, renewable energy, recycling nature restoration and low carbon transport.

The largest number of green jobs came under the activities of energy efficient products and waste, with around 116,100 and 138,900 FTE employees in 2022, respectively.

Jobs in energy efficiency products jumped by 4,800 and green jobs in waste jumped by 32,000 between 2020 and 2022.

Large increase in the two years were seen a number of other activities, including 16,000 jobs in low carbon transport, 13,000 jobs in renewable energy and 10,000 in environmental consultancy.

But the overall figures also include employment in nuclear power, estimated to be around 23,000 jobs, which some may not classify as green.

Meanwhile, total estimates also exclude some activities for which ONS does not have a data source, including those working on decarbonising grid networks and in low-carbon travel beyond low and zero emission vehicles.

The ONS said the estimates are experimental and subject to revision as the agency reviews methods and data sources.