Commission H1 focuses on "near-field cosmology", i.e., studies of the Milky Way and its surrounding galaxies. A primary goal is to explore how galaxies in different environments and across a wide range of masses formed and evolved. Recent, ongoing, and forthcoming surveys in all wavelength ranges along with theoretical modeling are flourishing and are providing an unprecedentedly detailed picture of the evolution of our Galaxy and other nearby systems. These efforts exploit the stellar fossil record of ages, detailed chemistry, and kinematics to explore the assembly history and continuing evolution of the Galaxy and its neighbors, complemented by comprehensive studies of the multi-phase interstellar medium and studies of the small-scale distribution of dark matter. The exploration of the nearby universe is a vibrant field that combines and indeed requires efforts in a wide range of astronomical disciplines as epitomized by the membership of Commission H1 and by the IAU meetings that it organizes or supports.