He joins incumbent Catherine King for the ALP, the United Australia Party's Terri Pryse-Smith, and the Liberal Party's Ben Green as announced candidates.

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Mr Barnes served on council from 1996 to 2001, and was mayor from 1999 to 2001.

Previously, he was a senior council officer.

Following his time with council, he was chair of Central Highlands Water for nine years - in a statement, he notes he was chair during the Millenium Drought, "during which time CHW built the $180m Goldfields Superpipe - on time and within budget".

He notes he has lived his "entire life" in Ballarat, and has been involved in several community organisations, including school councils, the regional library service, and as inaugural chair of the Highlands Waste Management Group.

More recently, he has been an active member of heritage advocates Save Our Station, and remains a keen council-watcher.

His daughter Alice has previously stood for the Greens in state elections.

He was direct when asked why he was standing in 2022.

"I think this is the most important election in my lifetime," he said.

"We have to get prompt action from our government, and other governments throughout the world, on addressing the climate crisis, and we're running out of time - that's basically it."

The Greens policies, which include free education, increasing social security payments, and including dental and mental health in Medicare, will "transform the lives of many people in Ballarat", he said.

"I think housing affordability is a big issue (in Ballarat), the Greens are proposing to build one million additional social and public houses over the next decade," he said.

"Basically it's reliving some of the better initiatives from the Whitlam years.

"What people are starting to realise is that neither Liberal nor Labor are responding to the science on climate change, and to the best advice that's been given."

His focus is on leaving a better world for his grandchildren, he added, and he repeatedly emphasised the Greens' position on corporate donations, particularly from fossil fuel companies.

"I'm a grandfather, I feel strongly that I had to act - we are handing over a terrible mess to the younger generations," he said.

"How many more floods, droughts, bushfires do we have to have?

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"How bad does it have to get before we say, 'we have the technology, the know-how, but only lack the will to actually address this problem'?

"We'll be running as vigorous a campaign as we can."

A date for the federal election has not yet been set, but must be held by May 21.

An announcement from Prime Minister Scott Morrison is expected to be any day now.

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