Urban green infrastructures are increasingly becoming an essential component of intervention for climate change adaptation and mitigation. However, limited knowledge of the carbon sequestration potential of urban green spaces (UGSs), particularly in developing countries, poses challenges for their effective management. This study aimed to assess the biodiversity and carbon sequestration potential of UGSs in urban centers of Northern Ethiopia. We used stratified random sampling to establish 40 plots of varying sizes across selected urban green spaces and applied one-way ANOVA to compare woody species diversity and carbon stocks among UGS types. A total of 13 woody species from nine botanical families were identified, including seven indigenous and six exotic species. Species diversity and richness were similar across urban green space types. Roadside plantations had the highest mean biomass carbon stock (41.24 +/- 14.91 Mg C ha(-1)), followed by educational sites (12.90 +/- 3.92 Mg C ha(-1)) and church compounds (10.77 +/- 2.61 Mg C ha(-1)), while parks had the lowest (7.12 +/- 2.86 Mg C ha(-1)), likely due to their open layout and lower woody plant density. Correlation analysis revealed a significant negative relationship between Shannon diversity and both above-ground and below-ground carbon stocks (p < 0.05). The study highlights the variation in carbon sequestration potential among different types of urban green spaces, with roadside plantations contributing the highest biomass carbon stock. Integrating the expansion and sustainable management of urban green spaces into urban planning and development is crucial for promoting biodiversity conservation and enhancing climate change mitigation, especially in rapidly growing urban centers.